Q and A with Carmel Noon

The new South Australian/Northern Territory state manager aims to take Company Directors’ services to even higher levels.

Company Director (CD): What does your role entail?

Carmel Noon (CN): I have responsibility for the SA/NT division. This includes in collaboration with the national office and our divisional council developing, implementing and managing the annual strategic plan and meeting the education and networking needs of our members — ensuring the delivery of high quality education, professional development and event programs.

I am also responsible for co-ordinating the divisional council meetings — preparing reports, papers and financials to ensure councillors are fully informed. The same applies to the committee we have established in the NT. 

Finally I’m charged with developing a network to promote the Company Directors’ brand and ethos, lifting its visibility and exploring opportunities; as well as leading the committed team of staff.

CD: What are the major challenges of your role?

CN: Juggling the above to ensure we always keep our members at the forefront of anything we do.

CD: What do you enjoy most about your role?

CN: People interaction —listening to people and delivering what people want.

At Company Directors, this is obvious by the sheer fact that we have a high member retention rate.

It is great to be involved with an organisation with an excellent reputation so that I don’t have to “fix” things. Over the past 12 years, I have been appointed to change management roles, so this is refreshing.

CD: What would you most like to achieve in your role?

CN: Take all the good work done by the previous state manager and president, current team, council and committees in SA/NT to new levels in all areas — with the support and direction of our national office.

CD: What do you most like about working with the directors of Australia?

CN: Working and interacting with people who want to improve and make a difference, whether it is personal or professional.

CD: What is your background?

CN: I have a professional portfolio of senior management positions that spans the private and public sectors, universities, not-for-profit organisations and professional associations.

These roles have also ensured that I have had much experience with boards, councils and committees, either reporting to boards or holding a directorship.

My most recent role was as the CEO of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA).

During my tenure I was responsible for major change to ensure IPAA’s sustainability into the future and that it could continue to provide relevant and important services that connect people in the public sector across all three jurisdictions.

IPAA now enjoys being referred to as the professional association for the public sector.

Prior positions include the CEO of Kangaroo Island Council, the state manager SA/NT for the Royal Australian College of GPs and CEO of the Adelaide University Union (student services and commercial operations), which included Unibooks and the National Wine Centre of Australia.

CD: Why did you join Company Directors?

CN: I was looking for an organisation that could “grow” me rather than just “growing” an organisation — and one that I could take from “good to great” or in this case “great and beyond”.

Also having either been a director or reporting to a board, the essential component I have found is excellent governance, which is a passion of mine. Without that, everything suffers — and mostly the bottom-line!

So this role — where the focus is on one of my passions — is naturally going to be rewarding.

CD: What drives you?

CN: Negative people and “can do” people. I just want to prove the “negatives” wrong and develop the “can do” people.

CD: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in life?

CN: That someone’s lack of organisation doesn’t warrant an emergency on my part. Also, to employ people better than you and most importantly to surround yourself with the right people.

CD: What do you do in your spare time?

CN: Travelling (Paris is a favourite), cooking, dining out, making jewellery, trekking, shopping, catching up with my sister, mum, and good friends and chilling with the love of my life, my husband Andrew.

I have been very lucky to have enjoyed good health, an interesting and challenging career, the best partner and great family and friends — my life is the best!