AIM Group Board of Directors
The AIM Group is composed of the former divisions of AIM NSW & ACT, AIM Qld & NT, AIM South Australia, and AIM Victoria & Tasmania.
Grant Dearlove FAIM
Chairman
 Grant Dearlove is a Lawyer and Company Director. Across his career Grant has owned, worked for, and consulted to Professional Service firms in disciplines spanning property, franchising, risk, insurance, M&A, funds management, and legal.
Grant has held the positions of Managing Director of Colliers International Residential for Australia, Managing Director of PRDnationwide, and CEO of Verifact. Grant is currently a National Partner with Shine Lawyers. Grant is also a Non-executive Director of Oliver Hume Australia (Australia’s leading residential property agency), Chairman of Oliver Hume SEQ, Chairman of Oliver Hume Apartments Victoria and Deputy Chairman of Invest Logan (the economic development arm of the Logan City Council). Grant is a Director of the Centre for Public Management and a trustee of the John Story Memorial Trust. Grant was formerly a Non-executive Director of Sunshine Coast Destination Limited (Sunshine Coast Tourism), Sunshine Cooperative Housing Society Limited, Countrywide Cooperative Housing Society Limited, National Director of Colliers International and related companies, a Director of Arete Executive and Partner with McInnes Wilson Lawyers.
Grant has a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Laws, a Master of Business Administration, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance. Grant is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and has spent his life in the Professional Services arena and studied leadership of professional service organisations at Harvard University.
Andrew McFarlane FAIM
Deputy Chairman
 After gaining invaluable consulting experience in organisations such as Hungerfords, and KPMG, Andrew established his own consulting company MOMENTUM Business Advisors Pty Ltd in 1988 where he is principal consultant. Andrew is a director of multiple companies in the Momentum Property Group, Member of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network – Audit and Risk Committee, the CEO of the Italian Benevolent Foundation SA Inc (Aged Care Provider with over 550 staff) and was previously a director of Nepenthe Wine Group.
MOMENTUM Business Advisors Pty Ltd provides a range of professional consulting services including accounting advice, taxation, financial management information systems, business advisory, executive outsourcing, business re-engineering and systems solutions.
Andrew has an extensive history in the provision of professional management and business consulting services to a diverse range of not for profit, commercial and private clients. Andrew specialises in the SME, finance, wine industry, aged care and welfare service industries. His particular field of expertise includes strategic planning, business planning, management consulting, systems reviews, and financial management information systems.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Economics and is a member of the Certified Practicing Accountants, a Registered Tax Agent, Certified Professional Manager and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Julie Boyd FAIM
 Julie Boyd was elected as the first female Mayor of the City of Mackay and retained that role for 11 years from 1997 to 2008. Julie was involved in Local Government for 16 years during which time Mackay was one of the fastest growing cities in Australia. Julie oversaw a number of large infrastructure and lifestyle projects that were instrumental in improving the quality of life for the city’s residents.
Julie originally trained as a Registered Nurse having completed her studies in Brisbane at the Mater Hospital and undertook Midwifery studies in Scotland. She studied Politics, South East Asian Religions and History at the University of Queensland. From 2008 to 2010 Julie represented the Queensland Government as the Special Trade Representative to Japan, Republic of Korea and the Philippines and was then appointed as the Trade Representative for Queensland to Africa until 2012.
Julie sits on a number of Boards both in Brisbane and Mackay and undertakes consultancy work in the area of Corporate Governance. Julie is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Chris Burns FAIM
 Chris Burns enlisted in the Australian Army as an apprentice electrician in 1975. On completion of his trade training, he undertook officer training and graduated into Armour as a tank commander. Chris’ early career saw him serving in a number of operational armoured units and as an instructor of recruits and officer cadets.
In 1988 Chris was seconded to the United Nations as a military observer where he saw service on the Golan Heights in Syria, in Iran for the establishment of the ceasefire between Iran and Iraq and in the Gaza Strip during the first Palestinian uprising. In subsequent postings, Chris served with the US Army in Hawaii as the Commanding Officer of the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment and in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.
On promotion to Colonel, Chris was appointed as the Director of Operations in Army Headquarters where he oversaw Army’s global operations including Afghanistan, East Timor and Iraq. Following this, Chris was appointed as the Australian Defence Attaché in the Philippines and the Micronesian nations based out of the Australian Embassy in Manila.
On returning to Australia, Chris transferred to the Army Reserve and established his own consultancy company. Chris served as the Director – Land in Defence, South Australia from July 2008 until May 2010. He assumed the appointment of Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Teaming Centre in May 2010. Chris was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2003 Australia Day Honours List. Chris is also the recipient of the US Meritorious Service Medal and the Philippine Legion of Honour.
David Conry FAIM
 David Conry was Queensland's Australian of the Year in 2007, Queensland's Social Entrepreneur of the Year, honoured with QUT's Golden Key and MS Society's John Study Award, and named as one of Brisbane's most 50 influential people for his work in founding the national disability group Youngcare.
David is the Managing Director of Damarcon, with business interests in Communications and International Students Services and provides advisory services in the area of B2B strategies, new market development and government. David also holds several directorships and board positions within the private sector, Queensland and Commonwealth Governments.
John Cotter FAIM
 John is a qualified town and regional planner has 15 years experience in major property and infrastructure projects. He has led major project teams across Australia through concept, business case and delivery phases.
In 2008 John founded the Flinders Group, a project services company following roles in government, private and a publicly companies.
John holds qualifications from the University of Queensland (Batchelor of Regional & Town Planning), Certified Practicing Planner and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a Non-Executive Director of Queensland Urban Utilities, Chairman of Phosphate International and the Flinders Group, and Chair of the Fortitude Valley Economic Development Board.
Geoff Fary FAIM
 Geoff Fary is Chair of the Federal Government’s Asbestos Safety & Eradication Council and is a former assistant secretary of the ACTU, ex-chief of staff to a Federal Government cabinet minister and was a senior executive at George Weston Foods Ltd and Nestle Australia.
Geoff’s working life has been devoted to Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations and his career moves have given him the unusual perspective of corporate, government and union experiences.
Ann Messenger FAIM
 Ann Messenger is a Chartered Accountant who studied marketing and operations management before specialising in accounting and finance. Ann began her career in banking and has had a range of commercial experience both in Australia and overseas, including 6 years in Latin America where, as an equities analyst, she covered emerging markets during the mid-1990s.
In Australia, Ann has worked in corporate finance and middle market advisory roles with accounting firms KPMG and HLB Mann Judd in the early 2000s before moving into Chief Financial Operator and Chief Operating Officer roles with organisations including the Sydney Chamber of Commerce. In recent years Ann has developed a strong interest in the not-for-profit and education sectors. Ann worked as General Manager of St John’s College (within the University of Sydney) from 2009-10 with responsibility for the financial and commercial management of the College. In 2011, Ann was appointed to the Mosman Council's Development Assessment Panel.
Professor Danny Samson FAIM
 Danny Samson is a Professor of Management at The University of Melbourne in the Faculty of Business and Economics, Department of Management and Marketing – a professorship he has held since 1988. Danny’s early career was as an engineer in industry, before taking lecturer roles at University of New South Wales and The University of Illinois.
Danny is a leader in management education in Australia and internationally. Danny continues to lead in all aspects of management education as a consultant, researcher, teacher and author. Danny continues to hold a number of highly relevant Directorships and is a Fellow of AIM.
Christopher Westworth FAIM
 Christopher Westworth was a senior audit partner with Ernst & Young until June 2010 with responsibilities for clients and risk management in the audit division. As a senior audit partner with over 30 years of experience, his work with Ernst & Young’s clients in the UK, Europe and Australia covered a wide range of industries including the property industry, financial services, media and healthcare. Major clients included News Corporation, Westfield Holdings Limited and Sydney Airports Corporation.
Christopher is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor’s of Laws. Christopher is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Christopher is also a director of the State Water Corporation, Viscopy Ltd and TheCyberInstitute Pty Ltd.
John Withers FAIM
 John Withers has extensive experience as a leader and manager in Defence, and more recently in the private and public sectors.
After completing schooling in Melbourne, John entered the Royal Military College and served as an officer in the Australian Regular Army for 25 years in the infantry and the Special Air Service Regiment. After leaving the Regular Army in 1998, John moved to Hobart where he has worked in the private and public sectors.
John is currently a HR specialist with the Tasmanian State Government holding a number of positions in the Department of Education and more recently the Department of Justice.
For the past 12 years has been an active member of AIM in Tasmania serving as a member of the local committee of management, implementing and facilitating on the Aspiring Manager Program, and the AIM Business Leadership Awards.
Mike Zissler FAIM
 Mike Zissler is the Chief Executive of Lifeline Canberra having been in that role since January 2010. Prior to this appointment mike was the Commander of the Northern Territory Emergency Intervention and the Chief Executive Officer of a large ACT Government Department. He has extensive public sector experience having been in senior roles with a number of State and Territory Government agencies.
Mike trained as a Registered Nurse and specialised in Paediatrics before undertaking a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration and a Masters of Business Administration. Mike is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management, a Member of the Institute of Company Directors and is currently the Deputy Chair of the ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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