The Sydney Opera House Trust has announced Louise Herron as the Trust's new Chief Executive Officer, commencing 6 August.

 

Ms Herron will take the position after chairing the Australia Council's Major Performing Arts Board and chairing the Belvoir St Threatre for a decade.

 

“Louise brings significant and diverse business experience and a demonstrated passion for, and leadership in, the arts. Her skills will be a perfect complement to the existing executive team. She is well known to our resident companies, through her recent role as Chair of the Major Performing Arts Board. We couldn’t be more pleased with this appointment," Trust Chairman Kim Williams said.

 

Ms Herron co-founded and is an Executive Director of Ironbark Corporate Advisory, a boutique corporate advisory firm specialising in restructures, mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. Previously she consulted to Carnegie Wylie and Investec Bank Australia. Louise started her professional career as a lawyer and was a partner at Minter Ellison specialising in corporate and technology related transactions. Ms Herron is also a Trustee of Sydney Grammar School and Director of Australian Ethical Investments Limited and while Chair of Belvoir, served two terms as a director of the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG).

Upon taking up her role as Sydney Opera House CEO, Louise will relinquish all her current roles but will remain a Trustee of Sydney Grammar School.


Ms Herron will be the first woman appointed to the position of Chief Executive of Sydney Opera House since it opened in 1973 (Sydney Opera House Trustee Sue Nattrass was acting CEO for several months in 2007).