Our trust members
The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (the Trust) is classified as a Class A cemetery trust under the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 (Vic) (the Act). The Trust was established on 1 March 2010 following amendments to the Act, consolidating eight existing cemetery trusts into one.
These trusts were in Altona, Andersons Creek, Fawkner, Keilor, Lilydale, Preston, Templestowe and Wyndham.
The Trust is a body corporate with perpetual succession established by Governor in Council pursuant to regulations under the Cemeteries Act 1958 and updated within the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 (Vic).
The Trust is responsible for the governance of the organisation including the key roles of setting strategic direction, approving the annual budget, monitoring performance, ensuring compliance, developing policy, high level stakeholder management and ensuring that a risk management framework is in place.
The Trust is governed by remunerated trust members appointed by the Government.
Chair | Michael Doery BFA, FAICD
Trust Chair, Executive Performance and Remuneration Committee member
Michael has had a successful business career which has included CEO and Executive Director roles with listed, public and private companies. As a long-term senior partner at KPMG, Michael developed extensive skills in governance, finance, technology and risk management. Most recently, Michael’s career has focused on digital and technology. Michael is a Non-Executive director and his chair roles include Freehold Property Investment Limited and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Michael is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Elizabeth (Liz) Beattie GAICD
Deputy Chair, Community Advisory Committee Chair, Executive Performance and Remuneration Committee member, Infrastructure Working Group member
Liz was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999-2014. Liz retired from the Victorian Parliament in 2014.
Liz's career included the positions of:
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning
Parliamentary Secretary for Education
Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Sports
Liz also chaired and participated in Parliamentary Committee work, including:
Law Reform
Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations
Drugs and Crime Prevention
Family and Community Development
Prior to parliament, Liz's career was in building and asset management. Liz is currently involved in bespoke consultancy for a small number of clients, on the Council of Victoria University and Victorian industry representative for the Australian Industry and Skills Committee.
Katerina Angelopoulos MAICD, BSW, DipWS
Audit and Risk Management Committee member, Community Advisory Committee member
Katerina has an extensive background in Public sector management, health issues planning, human resources and community engagement. Katerina has held a number of board directorships and committee positions and is currently a member of Bendigo Health and the Australian Government Professional Services Review Determining Authority. Katerina is passionate about creating health services and settings that are responsive to community needs and enabling continuity of care for clients. She has a reputation for both effective advocacy and enabling community engagement in policy and service development.
Vedran Drakulic OAM MPubAdv&Act, EMFIA, MAICD
Finance and Investment Committee member, Infrastructure Working Group Convenor
Vedran is a philanthropy executive with significant senior-level experience and background spanning not-for-profit, corporate and philanthropic sectors both in Australia and overseas. Vedran is the CEO of Gandel Philanthropy, one of the largest private family foundations in Australia, and brings with him skills in governance, asset management, audit and finance.
His current board-level roles include AMES Australia, the Betty Amsden Foundation and the Hobsons Bay Community Fund, and he is also the RMIT’s Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Social and Global Studies . Vedran held a number of non-executive roles in the past, including the President of International Social Services (ISS) Australia, Vice President of Volunteer West and Member of the RDNS Assets Committee.
Dana Hlavacek BCom (Hons), MAcc, FCA
Audit and Risk Management Committee Chair, Executive Performance and Remuneration Committee member
Dana Hlavacek is an experienced corporate executive and independent director with expertise in international treasury and finance, audit, risk and compliance. Her executive career includes roles in the mining sector and audit and assurance. Ms Hlavacek has held a number of directorships including for the Melbourne Water Corporation where she was the Chair of the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee and also RSPCA Victoria and VicWater. She was a Trustee of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust and Chair of the Risk, Audit and Management Committee and OH&S Committee. She is a non-executive director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence and a board director of Zoos Victoria and is a former member of the Salvation Army Corporate and Philanthropy Committee.
David Cragg BA, Grad Dip (HRM)
Community Advisory Committee member, Finance and Investment Committee member
David has worked in industrial relations since 1985, and is currently assistant secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall. David has extensive experience in human relations management, including specific experience in the 1990s with cemeteries, funeral directors and coffin makers throughout Victoria. He was a member of FIMAC, the Funeral Industry Ministerial Advisory Council, which assisted the Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs in the mid 2000s. David has worked with Victorian cemeteries since the 1990s, and served 2008-2010 as a member of the Funeral Industry Ministerial Advisory Council in this state. He is a member of the Hawthorn Football Club and of the Stoke City FC Melbourne Group.
Bev Excell BSc (Hons), FAICD
Executive Performance and Remuneration Committee Chair, Finance and Investment Committee member, Audit and Risk Management Committee member
Bev is an internationally experienced executive and independent non-executive director. She has over 15 years directorship and governance experience across a range of organisation types and sectors, with significant audit and risk management experience. Bev is currently on the boards of Travellers Aid Australia, the Australasian Association of Philosophy, an advisory governance committee in the tertiary education sector as well as local and state government audit committees.
From 1982-2012, Bev worked for BP where she held various positions in Australia and overseas.
Kevin Quigley FCA
Finance and Investment Committee Chair, Audit and Risk Management Committee member
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand
Certified Information Systems Auditor
Executive Certificate in Public Policy, Monash
Fellow of the Australian Health Services Financial Management Association.
Kevin is a Chartered Accountant and has worked as a senior auditor for several large firms, as the Chief Financial Officer of a large regional hospital and as a director of a medium-sized management consulting practice.
Kevin has a long standing interest in governance and experience as a board member and chair of various board committees. His board and committee roles over the last decade include the Department of Justice (Victoria), Ballarat University, Dental Health Victoria, Federation Training and the State Library of Victoria. Kevin has also had roles on the boards of a number of community organisations.