Frank and Fair – Staying Impartial in the Public Sector

A Monash University Law School graduate, Deborah left Australian shores shortly after graduating to pursue posts in Europe and Asia in the banking and financial regulation sector.

Between 2001 and 2004 she was a member of the Police Complaints Authority, and it was from here that she was appointed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission in London.

She was awarded an OBE for services to the IPCC in 2012. She left the IPCC in March 2014, having completed a ten-year term with the organisation and returned to Melbourne to take up the position of Victorian Ombudsman.

She is the first woman to ever hold the position and finishes her ten-year tenure in 2024.

Adam Fennessy PSM is the Victorian Public Sector Commissioner.  Adam has over 20 years of public sector experience at state and federal levels, including four years as Secretary of the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning and prior to that the Department of Environment & Primary Industries.  Adam has worked in the private sector as a partner with advisory firm Ernst & Young.  Adam has served on several boards including the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) (Victoria), Infrastructure Victoria, Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Women & Leadership Australia.

Adam is an IPAA National Fellow, IPAA Victorian Fellow and a member of the Champions of Change Coalition.  In 2018, he received a Public Service Medal (PSM) for leadership in the Victorian public sector.

Marlo has worked in a number of senior roles across the public sector as a lawyer and a leader for the past 15 years. Prior to commencing as Chief Executive Officer at IBAC, Marlo was the Victorian Government Solicitor at the VSGO.

Marlo also spent 10 years at WorkSafe Victoria leading a 200-person business unit as General Counsel, overseeing litigation, prosecutions and legislative programs. During her career Marlo was also the director of the CEO’s Office at the Victorian Building Authority.