Board of Directors

Debra Singh has over 30 years’ retail experience in C-suite roles across business transformation, general management, retail operations, change management and human resources. Debra was the first woman to run a trading division at Woolworths where she spent 11 years working across supermarkets, operations and consumer electronics. In more recent years Debra was also the CEO of Fantastic Furniture and Group CEO of Greenlit Brands Household Goods. Debra is also a Non-Executive Director of the Shaver Shop, The Kids Cancer Project and Hypnos Group boards.

Special responsibilities:

• Member of Audit and Risk Management Committee
• Member of Nomination Committee
• Member of People, Culture and Education Committee

 
Other current listed public Company Directorships:
Shaver Shop Group Limited
(appointed 2 September 2020)

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years: Nil

Pejman Okhovat joined G8 Education as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in January 2023.

Prior to joining the Group, Pejman held senior leadership positions across a number of well-known retail organisations in Australia and internationally, including as the Managing Director of BIG W, Chief Executive Officer of NZX-listed retailer The Warehouse and as a senior leader at UK retailers Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys and ASDA/Walmart. Pejman has experience with charitable organisations as director of Variety NZ and chair of The Warehouse Trust in New Zealand. He has extensive experience in leading large teams within geographically dispersed networks, with a strong focus on customer service, business transformation and delivering value for all stakeholders.

Pejman is committed to continuing G8 Education’s purpose-led approach to delivering meaningful societal impact through quality early childhood education and care delivered through a passionate and capable team of educators and support teams.

He holds a BA Hons in Business Studies from Leeds Business School, with further executive education at Babson College (USA) and the AMP course at INSEAD (Singapore).

Special responsibilities: Nil

Other current listed public Company Directorships: Nil

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years: Nil

Professor Julie Cogin has worked in the Australian education sector for more than 30 years. In addition to her Non-Executive Director responsibilities, Professor Cogin is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Business and Law) and Vice-President at RMIT University, Australia’s largest multisector university, with more than 100,000 students. In this role she is accountable for financial, people, legal and student experience outcomes in Australian, Vietnam, Singapore and China.

Professor Cogin chairs the board of RMIT Training Pty Limited, is a Non-Executive Director for the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre and has held a number of senior academic leadership positions over the last two decades, including Dean and Head of UQ Business School at the University of Queensland and Director of the Australian Graduate School of Management, University of New South Wales.

Professor Cogin has made numerous leadership contributions while achieving substantial research and education outcomes. She is a recognised thought leader in strategy implementation, high performing workplaces, corporate culture and executive remuneration, having authored books and world leading academic articles.

Professor Cogin has received prestigious education awards at university, national and international levels and delivered education or consulting engagements for many leading companies throughout Australia, Asia and in the USA.

Professor Cogin has been engaged as an expert witness in a number of tribunals and courts of Australia. In 2016, she was named as one of Australia’s Women of Influence for her work to address gender imbalance in leadership. Professor Cogin is a member of Chief Executive Women (CEW).

Special responsibilities:

• Chair of the People, Culture and Education Committee
• Chair Education Advisory Committee
• Member of the Nomination Committee

 
Other current listed public Company Directorships: Nil

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years: Nil

Peter Trimble is an experienced senior management and finance executive of publicly listed companies having held roles at CSR Limited, Rinker Limited, ABC Learning Limited and Sugar Terminals Limited. These roles have crossed a diverse range of industries comprising education, construction materials, manufacturing, infrastructure and agriculture and includes 12 years of experience in the USA. He is also an experienced Non Executive Director of a number of private companies.

Peter has an extensive background in childcare operations, having joined ABC Learning as Chief Financial Officer immediately prior to the group going into administration and being a critical part of the team that managed, restructured and prepared the childcare business for sale. Peter also has a background in governance, risk management, strategy and planning, merger and acquisitions and business restructuring and improvement.

Special responsibilities:

• Chair of Audit and Risk Management Committee
• Member of Nomination Committee

 
Other current listed public Company Directorships:
Sugar Terminals Limited (appointed 18 December 2024)

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years: Nil

Margaret Zabel is a specialist in customer centred business transformation, brand strategy, innovation, digital communications, customer experience and change leadership. She has 20 years senior executive experience working across major companies and brands in FMCG, food, technology and communications industries including multinationals, ASX 100 and not-for-profits. Her previous roles include National Marketing Director Lion Nathan, VP Marketing for McDonald’s Australia and CEO and Board Director of The Communications Council.

Margaret has also served as a Non-Executive Board Director for the mental health charity R U OK? for 5 years, and is currently a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of Select Harvests, The Reject Shop, Collective Wellness Group and Fairtrade AUNZ.

Special responsibilities:

• Chair of Nomination Committee
• Member of People, Culture and Education Committee

 
Other current listed public Company Directorships:
The Reject Shop (appointed 4 June 2021), Select Harvests (appointed 1 Oct 2022) and Australian Vintage (appointed 23 July 2024)

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years: Nil

Toni Thornton has worked in corporate finance agencies for more than 15 years. She brings a strategic commercial focus to the G8 Education Board, having previously held senior positions with JBWere, Goldman Sachs JBWere and NAB.

Current directorships include Star Entertainment Group Limited, CS Energy (including Chair of the Finance Risk and Assurance Committee) and Millovate Pty Ltd as well as being a Founding Director of the private childcare enterprise Habitat Early Learning. Toni was previously a Board Member of South Bank Corporation, boutique developer Devcorp and the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation.

Toni has more than 10 years’ experience in audit at board level, is a licensed real estate agent and during her time at Goldman Sachs JBWere, was a responsible executive with the ASX holding both derivative and RG146 accreditation. She has also completed an Accelerated Executive Management program through AGSM (The Australian School of Business), the Goldman Sachs JBWere Non-Profit Leadership Program and the Goldman Sachs Executive Director Leadership Program. Toni holds a Master of Law in Enterprise Governance through Bond University.

During her time with a leading global investment bank, Toni gained significant strategic advisory experience with prominent Queensland listed companies, large private companies and Profit-for-Purpose groups including a number of Queensland’s major hospital groups.

Special responsibilities:

• Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee
• Member of the Nomination Committee

 
Other current listed public Company Directorships:
Star Entertainment Group Limited (appointed 17 October 2023)

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years: Nil

*Full name Antonia Thornton.

Stephen Heath is a highly accomplished Chair and Non-Executive Director with extensive experience leading and growing prominent consumer brands across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. His 15-year executive career includes CEO and Managing Director roles at major companies such as Rebel Sport, Godfrey’s & Hoover and Fantastic Holdings, and he demonstrated expertise in retail operations, strategic management and driving shareholder value. Mr. Heath currently serves as Chair of Temple & Webster Group Limited and is a Director for Sapphire Group Pty Ltd, Sapphire Group Holdings Pty Ltd and Sapphire Retail Pty Ltd. Mr. Heath has also held board positions at Best & Less Holdings Ltd, Total Tools Pty Ltd and Redhill Education Ltd. His board experience spans diverse sectors, including e-commerce, retail, education and early childhood learning, showcasing his adaptability and strategic acumen.

Mr. Heath possesses deep expertise in complex business models, including multi-country operations and vertically integrated supply chains. He is adept at navigating various strategic scenarios, from IPOs and takeovers to capital raises and business turnarounds. His early career in software engineering provides a unique technology perspective, particularly relevant in his current focus on AI integration at Temple & Webster.

Special responsibilities:

• Member of the Nomination Committee
• Member of the People, Culture and Education Committee

 
Other current listed public Company Directorships:
Temple & Webster Group Limited (appointed 1 May 2016)

Former listed public Company Directorships in the last three years:
Best & Less Holdings retired (30 September 2023)
Redhill Education Ltd retired (31 October 2021)