Peter Shergold is the Macquarie Group Foundation Professor at the Centre for Social Impact (CSI). CSI is a cross-university collaboration between the Business Schools of the University of New South Wales, Melbourne University, Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Western Australia. It delivers business management teaching and research on not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, corporate responsibility and accountability and social investment. Its goal is to direct academic excellence to social purpose.
Peter is actively involved in the private, public and 'third' sectors. He is a non-executive director of AMP Limited and of the law firm, Corrs Chambers Westgarth. He is the chair of a venture capital start-up, QuintessenceLabs. At the public level he chairs the National Centre for Vocational Education Research. He is also actively involved in the non-profit sector as a Director of the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence and the General Sir John Monash Foundation.
Peter Shergold has previously had both an academic and a public service career. He has a BA Hons (1st Class) from Hull University; an MA from the University of Illinois and a PhD from London School of Economics. He took up a lectureship at the University of New South Wales and he became Head of the Department of Economic History at the University. He has taught at the University of Illinois, Southampton University, London School of Economics and Pennsylvania State University and has twice been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship.
Peter was elected a Fellow of The Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. He is also a Fellow of the Australia New Zealand School of Government, a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Singapore Civil Service College. He was elected Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney chairs the Board of Trustees.
Peter was a CEO in the Australian Public Service for two decades. He served Prime Ministers and Ministers in both Coalition and Labor governments. He established the Office of Multicultural Affairs. He headed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). At the end of his term he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Comcare. He was Public Service Commissioner. He served as Secretary of the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. Then he was appointed the Secretary of the Department of Education, Science and Training. Peter was Australia's most senior public administrator, serving as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
He was made a Member in the Order of Australia (AM) for public service on Australia Day. He was a recipient of the Centennial Medal. He was elevated to Australia's highest award, the Companion in the Order of Australia (AC).
