Independent Chair

About the Doherty Institute

The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) was created through a partnership between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. It operates as a center of excellence where leading scientists and clinicians collaborate to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases, while also furthering understanding of the human immune system.

Led by Director Professor Sharon Lewin, an international leader in infectious disease research, the Institute has over 700 staff working across discovery research, investigating disease outbreaks, and developing ways to eliminate infections. It is located in the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, which employs 28,000 people in health and medical research.

The need for enhanced governance

The Doherty Institute’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) conducted a review of the organisation’s governance structure. The SAB recommended appointing an independent Chair to the Institute’s leadership Council, as opposed to the previous rotational arrangement between the founding partners. This was suggested to further enhance governance and leadership as the organisation enters its next phase of growth and impact.

In response, the joint venture partners commissioned an external review focusing on Council membership, terms of reference, and effectiveness in supporting the Institute’s success. The resulting report also recommended establishing an Independent Chair role.

The executive search process

Brooker Consulting was engaged to conduct the executive search process to fill the new Independent Chair position. Leveraging advertising and their networks, Brooker generated significant interest from qualified candidates.

After conducting stakeholder meetings and reviewing presentations from shortlisted applicants, widespread consensus emerged around Martyn Myer AO as the top contender.

The outcome

Martyn Myer AO was appointed the inaugural Independent Chair of the Doherty Institute Council in late 2022. The Institute’s leadership believes Myer’s decades of experience across sectors, including his current and past governance roles, leadership acumen, and success engaging partners and raising funds, will help elevate the Institute to the next level in delivering on its ambitious vision for global impact.