Professor Stephen Martin has a long and distinguished background in the academia, Australian Parliament and the private sector.

Professor Martin occupied a number of senior executive roles in academia, including President/Chief Executive Officer of the University of Wollongong in Dubai, Pro Vice Chancellor International at Victoria University, Melbourne and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Strategy and Planning) at Curtin University of Technology in Perth.

He represented the New South Wales-based electorates of Macarthur and Cunningham in the Australian Parliament 1984-2002. In Government, he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Chairman of the Inquiry into the Australian Banking Industry. As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, he held portfolios in Defence, Small Business, and Trade and Tourism.

He has undertaken a number of strategic and change management roles in the private and public sectors.