David Epstein – Executive Director
David Epstein has extensive experience in politics and government, regulatory and public affairs, corporate strategy and communications, in Australia and internationally.
An ALP member for over four decades, David was educated at The ANU and Wharton (UPenn), and has worked as a Ministerial Adviser, consultant and company executive.
He served as a Private Secretary to two Federal Cabinet Ministers, then as Director of the Ministerial Media Group, during the Hawke and Keating Governments. Following this, he joined the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and became Chief of Staff to Kim Beazley (1997-1999).
David returned to the role of Chief of Staff to Opposition Leader in 2007, working for Kevin Rudd, and was appointed Principal Adviser and Chief of Staff to Prime Minister when Labor won power later that year.
After resuming his business career in 2009, David led group public affairs, regulatory and communications functions at both Qantas Airways and BHP Billiton, then corporate affairs, regulatory and legal functions at Singtel Optus, before re-establishing a consultancy business.
A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, he is Chair of Communications Compliance Limited, an independent compliance monitoring body for the Australian telecommunications industry, and an non-executive director of The Asia Society in Australia and the European Australian Business Council, as well as Deputy-Chair of Open Gardens Victoria.
He received the NSW Premier’s Bushfire Emergency Citation in 2020, the NSWRFS Commissioner’s Certificate for Service in 2021 and the National Emergency Medal in 2022 for service with the NSW Rural Fire Service during the 2019-2020 bushfires.
Among other things, David maintains a keen interest in arts and cultural organisations, books, the outdoors, gardening and photography.
Our Board
Tim Dixon
Tim Dixon is currently based in London and is a co-founder of More in Common, which works across the US, UK, France and Germany to counter the threats of polarization and far-right populism. Tim has led social change projects in more than 20 countries. He trained as an economist and tech sector lawyer, worked as economic adviser and chief speechwriter for Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, is the co-author of Australia’s leading economics textbook and built a leading Australian educational publishing business that was bought by Pearson in 2004.
Tim has founded initiatives that have engaged millions of people in social movements. Prior to More in Common Tim co-founded creative agency Purpose Europe; The Syria Campaign; the Jo Cox Foundation in the UK; and Movilizatorio in Colombia.
Ben Davis
Ben Davis is a committed unionist and a proud Richmond supporter. He has over 20 years’ experience working for the labour movement with 18 years spent organising workers across Victoria.
Since 2013 he has been Secretary of The Australian Workers’ Union Victorian Branch. As Branch Secretary, he has seen the union expand into new areas and has faced many challenges including complex disputes at Fletchers, UGL and Esso as well as the Trade Union Royal Commission.
Ben sits on various government and non-government boards and committees relating to workers’ rights and safety, and is a Director of Prime Super. Ben has completed financial management training with The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, and he is a graduate of the Williamson Community Leadership Program.
Frances Maguire
Frances Maguire is a former Partner at PwC (retired as partner December 20190, who now acts as a senior executive adviser to the partnership. She has been on the leadership team for PwC’s Consulting business for the past seven years and also a member of PwC Australia’s whole of firm leadership group for the past four years. During her time at PwC Frances had led the NSW Government team, the National Government and Public Sector Consulting practice and the National Australian Clients and Markets Consulting Group.
Frances also worked for 10 years in the children’s services sector and subsequently, Frances served as a Senior Adviser to NSW Government Ministers.
Laura Fraser Hardy
Laura Fraser Hardy is the Chief of Staff to the Queensland Attorney-General Until February 2018, Laura was a Senior Associate at Hall Payne Lawyers. During her ten years at Hall Payne Lawyers, Laura worked predominantly in employment/industrial relations, discrimination law and disciplinary law.
Laura is an member of the ALP and was the federal candidate for Bonner in the 2013 and 2016 federal elections. Laura has been on the National Committee of EMILY’s List, and was previously the Queensland Labor Women’s Network President.
Amit Singh
Amit Singh is a consultant and globally experienced adviser in strategy development, policy and regulatory affairs, digital marketplaces, corporate development and M&A transactions. He served as a senior adviser to two Australian Prime Ministers and a Leader of the Opposition.
Earlier in his career, Amit was a capital markets lawyer and co-founded a consumer aggregator with over 350,000 members. He has delivered policy and research papers in leading forums and institutions on topical issues including future of work, social safety nets, international tax, financial systems, mobility and automated technologies.
Sabina Husic
Sabina Husic is the Director of Media and Digital to the Victorian Premier, Dan Andrews. An experienced communications strategist, Sabina has shaped political, media and digital campaigns that have engaged millions. She is a highly respected advisor on media and digital strategy, crisis management, targeted campaigning, public affairs and stakeholder relations.
She has held senior advisory roles in government and opposition across federal and state politics, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Head of Digital Media to Premier Dan Andrews, Director of Communications to Premier Kristina Keneally, and Media Advisor to Premier Nathan Rees. Sabina also worked as General Manager of Media and Communications at Basketball Australia and Chief of Staff at the Australian Workers Union.
George Simon
George Simon is a committed unionist and Labor party member with nearly two decades of experience in political campaigning, supporter engagement and government relations.
Since 2019, he has been the NSW Labor Assistant General Secretary and has helped guide the branch through a comprehensive reform of governance and organisational culture. George has played a broad range of roles in the across the Australian labour movement including most recently as the Communications Director for the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union.
He has a Bachelor of Economics (Political Economy) from the University of Sydney.
Chloe Bennett
Chloe is Deputy Director of Policy, Health and Housing, Social Services and Voice in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP. Previously, Chloe was an Adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Policy to the Leader of the NSW Labor Opposition.
Chloe has a Master of Laws (Global Health Law) from Georgetown University in Washington D.C as well as Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Sydney. She has attended the Women’s Campaign School at Yale and is a Young Leader Delegate in the Australian American Leadership Dialogue.
