Vicki Thomson
Chief Executive & Director
Vicki Thomson has worked in Australia’s university sector for more than two decades, championing its role as integral to the success of our nation and its people. She is currently the Chief Executive of the Group of Eight Universities and prior to this role she was Executive Director of the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN).
Vicki currently serves as Deputy Chair of the European Australian Business Council. She is a member of the Australian Government’s University Foreign Interference Taskforce and Executive Cyber Council, Jobs and Skills Australia’s Education and Training Reference Group, the Antisemitism Education Taskforce Stakeholder Reference Group and the Australia India Institute Advisory Board.
She is a former Deputy Chair of the MS Australia Board, a former Board member of the Australian Government’s Australia–China Council and the New Colombo Plan Advisory Group.
She has been awarded the prestigious Insignia of the Knights in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French Government for her continuing services to the growth of successful education relationships and programs between France and Australia. She has significant experience and relationships with China. From the mid-1990s when she was first involved through her Government positions, she assisted the management of trade, industry and energy negotiations over a number of years. She has extensive experience in building relationships between business, industry and universities, and supporting increased access to university for people from all backgrounds.
She has been named by the Australian Financial Review in the top five of its power list for Australia’s education sector on multiple occasions.