The Zoos Victoria Foundation Board comprises a select group of Melbourne's influential community and business leaders.

In line with the vision of Zoos Victoria, members of the Zoos Victoria Foundation Board play an ambassadorial role in the development of fundraising and partnership opportunities with individual donors and the corporate and philanthropic sectors.

Mr. Sidney Hordern Myer (Chair)
Co-Vice President of The Myer Foundation
Chief Executive Officer, Yulgilbar Group of Companies

Sidney H. Myer graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Economics and from Chisholm Institute (Monash University of Caulfield Campus) with a Graduate Diploma of Marketing.  Sidney has over 25 years experience in the retailing and investment industries within Australia and overseas. 

As Chief Executive Officer, Sidney is responsible for the development and management of local and international investment portfolios, Australian agricultural interests and property interests. The Yulgilbar Group is owned by the S. B. Myer Family and is a diversified family investment group. 

In addition to his various directorships, Sidney is also Director of The Myer Family Company, The Myer Foundation and a Trustee of The Sidney Myer Estate.  He is also the Chairman of the Beyond Australia Committee (a committee of The Myer Foundation) which supports Australian initiatives in Asia and the Pacific, Asialink Centre at the University of Melbourne and the Zoos Victoria Foundation.

Associate Professor Andrew Lancelot Vizard
Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology at the University of Melbourne
Director of Animal Health Australia

Andrew is a Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology at the University of Melbourne and an experienced company director. He is currently a Director of Animal Health Australia, and of several public companies. From 1999 to 2009 he served on the Zoological Parks and Gardens Board. 

Andrew loves to walk around the zoo with his children: to see the world through a child’s eyes. The wide-eyed expression and absolute amazement in their faces when they look at the dazzle of colours floating and swaying around the butterfly house.  The joy as they watch the orang-utans traverse ropes with nonchalant grace. The disbelief as they listen to a male lyre bird’s superb mimicry of an impossible range of noises. We do live in a world full of amazing, wonderful and exotic things. Sometimes it takes a child to show us.

Mr Andrew Darbyshire
Founder PacSoft
Chairman of Rees Group
Chairman of Click Foundation

Andrew is a successful Melbourne-born businessman, author, speaker, and philanthropist. Educated at Caulfield Grammar, Melbourne Grammar, Templestowe and RMIT Technical Colleges. He founded his software business, PacSoft in the mid 1980’s. He has had extensive small business and public company experience, through his own businesses as well as the role of Chairman of Rees Group.

He is a member of the Committee for Melbourne; Board member of the Petstock Charitable Foundation; Chairman of Click Foundation; a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; a member of the Florey Neuroscience Institutes Council; Australian Business Arts Foundation councillor.

Andrew developed the concept to build an annex to the Melbourne Zoo within the new children’s hospital in Melbourne and is actively involved in seeing the idea come alive. In memory of his 8-year-old daughter Caitlin who passed away as a result of a brain tumour in 2006, Andrew founded Caitlin's Fund at the Florey Neuroscience Institutes to raise funds for research into child related brain conditions.

Mr Nicholas David Whitby
Managing Director, Grollo Leisure & Tourism

As Managing Director of Grollo Leisure & Tourism, Nick is responsible for managing the Grollo Group’s tourism investments. The main asset is the Buller Ski Lift Company which incorporates a range of businesses including ski lifting, ski school, retail & rental, hospitality and property development.

Nick has served on the Zoological Parks and Gardens Board since 2005. Nick and his family are all passionate zoo supporters, and during his time on the board they have travelled to Zoos throughout Europe and North America.

“We are so lucky to have these three amazing, world leading, properties in our backyard. We love spending a day at any of them. Immersing ourselves in the Asian rainforest with the elephants, tigers and orang-utans, you are so close to the centre of Melbourne yet a world away. Sleeping down at Werribee and feeling your back shiver as you listen to the lions roar across the lower savannah as the sun sets and you watch the giraffes and rhinos head for home. Listening to the keepers at Healesville Sanctuary, and feeling their passion and commitment as they teach you the complexities of the captive breeding program of the Mountain Pygmy Possum. All of these fantastic experiences, while teaching us how to protect and conserve our amazing wildlife and their natural habitat - we are so lucky."

Ms Rilka Warbanoff
Resident foodie on ABC 774 with Lindy Burn

Rilka took a completely new direction after selling her very successful Executive search company Spring Search and Selection.

Rilka is currently involved with a number of projects in the food and wine industries and also conducts cooking classes for both corporate team building exercise’s and also for people wanting to entertain at home with easy. During Rilka’s extensive corporate life she assisted organisation with their human capital and still is called on as a mentor and coach. She has been involved for 30 years with a variety of not for profit organisations including St. Vincent Hospital, Plan international and UNICEF Property Council.

"My favourite experience at the zoo is the Meerkats. Like humans, they live in families and communities, and they each have defined roles. They are fascinating to watch! They stand so upright... I’m sure there are a few catwalk models who could learn about good posture from a Meerkats!"

Mr Alex Waislitz
Executive Chairman and Founder of Thorney Investment Group

Thorney Investment Group is an Australian based diversified investor in public securities, private companies and property. Thorney specialises in emerging companies across a broad array of industries including Manufacturing, Technology, Mining Services and Resources.

Alex has extensive business and capital markets experience and has been a member of several public company Board of Directors. Currently Director of various Pratt Group companies and Vice President of Collingwood Football Club.

Alex is a graduate of Monash University in Law and Commerce and a Graduate of the Harvard Business School OPM Program.

Mr Ian Hicks AM
Executive Chairman, Applied International Pty Ltd
Chairman, Deutscher & Hackett

Ian W Hicks graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Economics and is currently the Executive Chairman of Applied International Pty Ltd, a private investment group located in Melbourne, specialising in both active and passive investments. Applied International is also involved in a number of philanthropic projects through the George Hicks Foundation including the preservation of the Spotted Tree Frog at Healesville Sanctuary.

Ian was a member of the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO) from 1978 – 1996 and of the World Presidents Organisation (WPO) from 1997 until the present and served as a Director, on the Board of both organisations for several years. Ian has been involved with a number of major charitable and art related organisations.  He is Chairman of Deutscher and Hackett a fine art auction house and extensive collector of Australian art and sculptures. He was both Director and subsequently President of the Multiple Sclerosis Society Victoria from 1993 – 2000 and Multiple Sclerosis Society of Australia from 1994 – 2002. 

In 2002, Ian was made a member of the Order of Australia for his work with the Multiple Sclerosis organisation.

On the art front, Ian was a member of the National Gallery of Victoria Business Council from 1993-98 and Deputy Chairman from 1994 – 1998.  He is currently Deputy Chairman on the National Gallery of Victoria Foundation from 2002 until the present.  In November 2008, Ian was made a Life Member of the Gallery.