Joseph Gersh is an Australian businessman who works as a

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

for public and private companies in Australia. He is also the founder and

Executive Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of Gersh Investment Partners Limited (GIPL). With interests in real estate, banking and the arts, Gersh has been recognized as an influential figure in the business community, particularly in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. He is also a prominent member of the Australian Jewish community. He currently serves as a direct Ministerial appointment on the Board of the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

(ABC). In 2006, he was awarded the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

for his service to business, government, the arts and the community.

Education

Gersh is a graduate of

Mount Scopus Memorial College , motto_translation = , location = 245 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria , country = Australia , coordinates = , pushpin_map = Australia Melbourne , pushpin_i ...

where he was

school captain A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...

in 1972. Gersh attended the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

and graduated in 1979 with a

Bachelor of Commerce A Bachelor of Commerce (abbreviated BComm or BCom; also, ''baccalaureates commercii'') is an undergraduate degree in business, usually awarded in Canada, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ireland, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa, Myanmar, ...

LLB (Honors).

Career

He formerly occupied the position of a

senior partner A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position, traditionally indicating co-ownership of a partnership in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits as "equity partners". Th ...

and Chairman of the Management Committee at the Melbourne law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler (ABL) from 1982 to 1999. He was appointed as a Director of the

Federal Airports Corporation The Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) was a business enterprise of the Government of Australia responsible for the operation of major passenger airports in Australia. It was established by the Hawke Labor Government by an Act of Parliament in ...

from 1995–1996. Gersh is a foundation Director of The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Payments System Board. He founded Gersh Investment Partners Limited and Gersh Advisory in July 2000. From July 2003 to December 2012, Gersh was the inaugural Chairman of the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation. He was a member of the Payments System Board of the

Reserve Bank of Australia The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is Australia's central bank and banknote issuing authority. It has had this role since 14 January 1960, when the ''Reserve Bank Act 1959'' removed the central banking functions from the Commonwealth Bank. T ...

between 1998 and 2013. In 2008, Gersh paid failing

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

financier MFS $20 Million to reacquire GIPL from the company. GIPL had been sold to MFS in August 2007 at an implied value of $100 million. In May 2013, GIPL created an alliance with Supalai Public Company Limited with the company estimating to spend $60 million of its annual overseas budget into Australia. In May 2018, he was appointed to the Board of the ABC. In November 2018, he appeared before the Senate Select committee into the ABC scandal, Gersh played a special role in the turmoil that engulfed the ABC - he was selected by the board to meet with

Michelle Guthrie Michelle Guthrie (born 1965) is an Australian business executive and lawyer. Guthrie was born in Sydney in 1965, was educated at Brigidine College Randwick and Kambala Girls' School, and studied arts and law at the University of Sydney. She jo ...

to discuss her allegations of inappropriate conduct by

Justin Milne Justin Trevor Milne, , (born 19 November 1952) is an Australian business executive and company director known for his roles as Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, chief of broadband services at Telstra, and CEO at OzEmail, as w ...

. At that meeting - at the A1 Canteen in Sydney, near the ABC's Ultimo HQ - he asked Ms Guthrie several times if she wanted to file a formal complaint against Mr Milne, and she refused. He also asked Ms Guthrie if she wished to resign, and she said "no". Mr Gersh goes on to say that he believes the ABC board works in a collegiate and respectful manner. He concedes it could perhaps do with an additional member who has extensive experience in media or digital transformation.

The arts

Gersh is a supporter of the arts with a particular focus on promoting Melbourne as a

cultural centre A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Asia * Cen ...

. He has been a Director of the

Sydney Institute The Sydney Institute is a privately funded Australian policy forum founded in 1989. The institute took over the resources of the Sydney Institute of Public Affairs which ceased activity in the late 1980s. The institute was opened on 23 August 19 ...

since 2003. He was Deputy Chairman of the

Australia Council for the Arts The Australia Council for the Arts, commonly known as the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announced in 1967 as the Austra ...

from 2006–2009. He also held honorary positions as chairman at the

National Institute of Circus Arts The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) is a government-accredited tertiary-level circus school in Australia, located in Prahran, Victoria. History NICA was established in 1995 by Swinburne University of Technology after a study revealed t ...

from 2005–2006 and chairman at

Artbank Artbank is an art rental program established in 1980 by the Australian Government. It supports contemporary Australian artists and encourages a wider appreciation of their work by buying artworks which it then rents to public and private sector c ...

, the Government Art rental body, from December 2000 – 2009.

Community

He has been a prominent figure in the Jewish community and was the president of the

Jewish Community Council of Victoria The Jewish Community Council of Victoria Inc (JCCV) is the main representative body for Victorian Jewry, representing 52 Jewish community organisations and over 60,000 Victorian Jews. The JCCV's mission is to represent the Victorian Jewish comm ...

from 1990–1993 and vice president of the Australian Institute of Jewish Affairs from 1987–1992. He also continues to serve as life-councilor for Mount Scopus College.Governance – Mount Scopus Memorial College
Scopus.vic.edu.au.

Personal

He is separated with four children.

References

;General
Joe Gersh personal website

Joe Gersh articles at The Australian Financial Review

* ttp://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2008/082.htm&pageID=003&min=wms&Year=2008&doctype=0 Joe Gersh Appointment to Payments System Board {{DEFAULTSORT:Gersh, Joe Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Australian businesspeople Australian Jews