Our Board of Directors

Brian Meltzer (Chairman)

BCom, M.Ec

Brian Meltzer is an experienced company director, investor and former investment banker with extensive experience across corporate finance, private equity, venture capital, healthcare and the not-for-profit sector.

Following several years as the Corporate Economist with ICI Australia (now Orica), Brian spent 25 years in investment banking. His experience encompassed major property transactions, corporate advisory and finance, management buyouts, venture capital and large-scale debt syndications.

Over several decades, Brian has held numerous board and advisory positions with government investment funds, public and private companies, and not-for-profit organisations. His board experience spans healthcare, disability and aged care services, human resources, software, entertainment, finance, corporate health and wellbeing.

Brian has also been an active private equity and venture capital investor. He has founded, acquired, grown and sold businesses in mental health, corporate health and wellbeing, and marketing services. In 2015, he acquired the Australian corporate health division of a US multinational, grew the business approximately five-fold, and sold it in 2021 to a subsidiary of a Canadian multinational. He has subsequently drawn on this experience to mentor entrepreneurs and founders of early-stage businesses.

Brian has served on the Board of Independence Australia Group for almost 30 years, over fifteen of these as Chairman.

His previous directorships include the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, and the ASX and Nasdaq joint-listed Alterity Therapeutics, where he chaired the Audit and Risk Committee.

Carol Adams

PhD CA FAICD FAcSS

Carol has combined a successful international academic career in financial and non-financial reporting and assurance with senior leadership, governance, corporate reporting and global standard setting roles. Her board and advisory roles have included the super fund, banking and finance, government, health, NGO, public and education sectors. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and her research addresses the role of accounting and reporting in sustainable development and the relationships between business, society and the environment. She has led the development of sustainability reports and advised on corporate reporting to major organisations. Carol is immediate past chair of the Global Sustainability Standards Board which sets the GRI Standards. She is an Emeritus Professor at Durham University.

Michael Daddo

BBus (Marketing)

Michael has over 30 years of senior management and leadership experience in marketing, corporate planning, political campaigning and behaviour change communications and programs. His career includes time as a Director of Ogilvy & Mather Australia, Director of George Patterson Bates, Founding Managing Director and National Partner of M&C Saatchi Melbourne, Global Strategic Marketing Director at Transurban and Managing Partner of The Shannon Company. Michael is also a Director of State Trustees Limited, a member of the Advisory Board of BehaviourWorks at Monash University and a former Trustee of the Victorian Arts Centre and Director of the Richmond Football Club.

Jeremy Long

B.Bldg, FAIB

Jeremy is a Lead Quality, Environmental and Safety Auditor and Systems Consultant with DLCS International. Prior to an accident that left Jeremy a paraplegic, Jeremy worked as a Building Project Manager for several large construction organisations. Jeremy is the Managing Director of Jeremy R. Long Building Consultants Pty Ltd and past Chairman and Director of Disability Sport & Recreation.

Paul Solomon

B.Com, PhD(AM), MAICD, FAIM, FIML

Paul holds more than 20 years experience both nationally and internationally in the business, services, healthcare, finance, education and social sectors. He is a Director of an International Management Consulting Company. His past positions have included Executive Chairman of the Somaia Group, National Executive for a major ASX Company, General Manager of the Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre (VIC), Associate Professor with Wollongong University and Managing Director of the Central Health Department (WA). He has contributed to a number of charitable Boards including Red Cross, Anti-Cancer Council (VIC) and Austin Research Institute and has been a member of a number of National Policy Committees including the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee.

Catherina Toh

BA (Hons), LLB (Hons), GAICD

Catherina is co-founder of cybersecurity venture capital firm 5i Capital with an Asia-Pacific (ex-China) focus, ceasing operations in 2023. Since 2004 she has been running her own legal, regulatory and governance consultancy, advising major financial services organisations, private companies and government institutions in Australia and Asia on governance, compliance, risk management and strategy development. Throughout her career Catherina has held a number of senior executive positions across a variety of organisations in Australia and Asia including NatWest, National Australia Bank and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (China). She is an experienced company Director with Board and Committee experience in the not-for-profit, private and public sectors. She is also a Director of AMES Australia and is the founding partner, and was the inaugural Chair of Social Venture Partners Melbourne, a venture philanthropy organisation.

Peter Turner(Managing Director & CEO) 

MHA, FAICD, FCPA, FIML, FCHSM, CHE CHM

Peter has been the Chief Executive Officer of Independence Australia since 2005. He has worked in a range of senior management positions in the health and community services industry in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He is a Harvard Club Fellow, an Alumnus of Leadership Victoria, a Director of IPC Health and Australian Physiotherapy Council, a former Director and Board Chair of Access Health and Community, was a volunteer Surveyor for the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards for 20 years, and has also served as the pro bono Chief Executive of a charitable trust.