Mildura alumni joins Crown Resorts board

A FORMER Mildura High School student has been appointed to the board of Crown Resorts.

Anne Ward grew up on a Sunraysia grape-growing property and attended Cardross Primary School before progressing to Mildura High School.

In 1977, Ms Ward was named dux of the school and later attended the University of Melbourne from 1978 to 1982 to attain a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts.

The school’s 1977 Mildurian magazine shows Ms Ward studies included English, German and commerce and law.

She was appointed a non-executive director of the Crown Resorts board in late September, subject to regulatory approval.

Crown Resorts is one of Australia’s largest entertainment groups and a leading operator and developer of integrated resorts in Australia, overseeing Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth, as well as Sydney’s latest premium hotel resort and dining precinct at Crown Sydney.

Crown Resorts said Ms Ward, now an experienced company director, had a focus on growth strategies in rapidly changing, highly regulated and customer-focused businesses and broad industry experience spanning financial services, banking, insurance, technology, health care, agriculture, government, education and tourism.

She is chair of ASX200 company RedBubble Ltd, chair of MNF Group Ltd, a council member at RMIT University, a director of the Foundation for Imaging Research, and a governor of the Howard Florey Neuroscience Institute.

Ms Ward was formerly chair of Colonial First State Investments Ltd, chair of Qantas Superannuation Ltd and chair of Zoos Victoria.

Other previous directorships include MYOB Group Ltd, Flexigroup Ltd, the Transport Accident Commission, Epworth Hospital and the Brain Research Institute.

Before becoming a professional director, Ms Ward was a commercial lawyer for 28 years and was general counsel for Australia at the National Australia Bank and a partner at Minter Ellison in Melbourne.

She is also a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In 2012, Ms Ward was awarded an Australian Institute of Company Directors Board Diversity Scholarship and the following year was named as one of The Australian Financial Review‘s 100 Women of Influence.