47 Influential Leaders in Bendigo, Australia (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Introduction

Bendigo is not waiting to become significant. It already is. As of June 2026, it is one of the fastest-growing regional cities in Australia, the fourth-largest inland city in the country, and home to institutions whose influence extends well beyond the Loddon Mallee region. The leaders shaping Bendigo right now are running a healthcare network that serves hundreds of thousands of people, governing a university campus that trains the next generation of allied health professionals for rural Victoria, manufacturing protected vehicles that the Australian Army takes into conflict zones, and leading a community bank that has become a national benchmark for purpose-driven finance.

The 47 influential people compiled here were selected for a documented, fact-checked contribution to life in Bendigo and the broader Greater Bendigo region. As of June 2026, these are the leaders genuinely shaping one of regional Australia's most consequential cities. Each was selected on the basis of a documented, fact-checked contribution to their field, from senior operating roles and recognised credentials to sustained community impact and civic service.

Rather than recycling the same familiar handful of names, this directory surfaces the people building something real in this region right now, across local government, health, education, business, Aboriginal community governance, arts and culture, defence and industry, and youth and community leadership. If you want to understand the forces shaping Bendigo's next chapter, these are the people worth knowing.

For leadership teams in Bendigo and across regional Victoria, book Jonno White, author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold), to facilitate an executive team offsite, Working Genius workshop, or leadership keynote. Email jonno@consultclarity.org. As host of The Leadership Conversations Podcast (240+ episodes, 150+ countries) and a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, Jonno works with organisations across regional Australia and travels regularly for engagements.

Why Bendigo Leadership Matters

Bendigo is demonstrating something important for regional Australia: that a city of around 105,000 people in the urban core can sustain genuinely world-class institutions and produce leaders of national significance. As of June 2026, the City of Greater Bendigo is projected to grow to approximately 200,000 residents within the next three decades, and the decisions being made right now by the people on this list will shape what that larger city looks, feels, and functions like.

The stakes are not abstract. Bendigo Health is the lead member of the Loddon Mallee Health Network, providing specialist services to communities spread across a vast swath of central Victoria. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is consistently ranked Australia's most trusted bank by its own brand research, and its community banking model continues to be studied and replicated nationally. Thales Australia's Bendigo facility manufactures the Bushmaster and Hawkei protected vehicles that the Australian Defence Force relies on, and in April 2026 the federal government committed to a further seven years of operations at that site, securing 300 jobs. The Bendigo Art Gallery, currently closed for a $45 million redevelopment that will reopen in early 2028, is one of the oldest and most significant regional galleries in Australia, and its closure is producing both a challenge and an opportunity for the city's broader cultural and visitor economy.

Leading through this moment requires people who understand Bendigo's unique combination of goldfields heritage, fast-growing suburbs, deep community banking roots, a thriving health and education sector, and a defence manufacturing base that is directly relevant to Australia's strategic interests. The 47 leaders profiled here are doing exactly that.

How This List Was Compiled

Each leader on this list was selected for a documented, fact-checked contribution to Bendigo and the Greater Bendigo region. Selection criteria included current operating roles in significant institutions, sustained community contribution, civic election and governance, and recognised credentials or achievements within the last twelve months. Every role and organisation on this list was verified as current at the time of writing in June 2026. The list does not reflect advertising relationships or payments of any kind.

Civic and Local Government Leadership

The people governing Greater Bendigo carry one of the most complex briefs in regional Victoria: balancing the needs of a fast-growing city, managing a significant infrastructure pipeline, advocating to state and federal government, and remaining genuinely accessible to the community they serve. The leaders in this category set the framework within which all other Bendigo leadership operates.

1. Thomas Prince

Mayor, City of Greater Bendigo

Thomas Prince was elected to represent the Lake Weeroona Ward at the 2024 Greater Bendigo council elections and was elected Mayor by his fellow councillors in November 2025. A long-time community volunteer with more than 20 years of engagement in Bendigo civic life, he ran for council three times before succeeding, which says something about the persistence he brings to the role. His background in hospitality has given him an instinct for relationship-building across different kinds of people, and his approach to the mayoralty is openly community-first and practically focused. Prince has made youth engagement a key priority for his term, actively seeking to connect with Bendigo schools and build young people's understanding of what local government does.

As Mayor in 2026, he is overseeing a year of significant transition for the city's cultural infrastructure, with the Bendigo Art Gallery closed for redevelopment and the city working to diversify its visitor economy through CBD activations and events. He brings a grounded, direct style to the role and has expressed a clear commitment to transparency and community presence throughout his term.

2. Andrew Cooney

Chief Executive Officer, City of Greater Bendigo

Andrew Cooney has been CEO of the City of Greater Bendigo since December 2023, following more than five years in senior roles including Director Corporate Performance and Director Commonwealth Games. He grew up in regional Victoria and has spent his career across councils and state government bodies throughout the Loddon Mallee region, which gives him an unusually deep understanding of the specific pressures facing inland regional communities. His leadership framework centres on four priorities: people, performance, place, and projects.

Cooney is overseeing the most significant infrastructure pipeline in the city's recent history, including the $45 million Bendigo Art Gallery stage one redevelopment, the Bendigo Airport terminal expansion, the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct, and a range of community sporting and recreational facilities. He is the council's only direct employee, which means every organisational direction flows through his leadership of the executive team and ultimately back to the nine elected councillors.

3. Karen Corr

Deputy Mayor and Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Karen Corr has served as Deputy Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo since November 2025, when she was elected alongside Mayor Thomas Prince. She brings three decades of leadership experience to the position, with a background in environmental engineering and community development. Corr has led sustainability initiatives and run a charity supporting rural communities and towns, and she is a director on a health board, which gives her a multi-sector perspective on what Bendigo's communities need.

As Deputy Mayor, her public priority is advocacy: ensuring Bendigo's priorities are heard clearly at state and federal levels. She is focused on housing diversity, transport connections, and community vibrancy, and has been a vocal presence on community needs across the Greater Bendigo municipality since her election to the Golden Square Ward.

4. Andrea Metcalf

Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Andrea Metcalf is the only councillor to have been re-elected at the 2024 local government elections, which reshaped Bendigo's ward structure entirely. She served as Mayor for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2025, a record of sustained civic leadership that shaped some of the most consequential planning and governance decisions in the city's recent history. Her tenure included overseeing the council CEO succession, the Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment approvals, the World Heritage listing nomination for the Victorian Goldfields, and the aftermath of major flooding events in early 2024.

Metcalf represents the Epsom Ward and ran unopposed at the 2024 elections, a reflection of the trust the community has placed in her consistent, thoughtful approach. She championed the Victorian Goldfields UNESCO World Heritage nomination as one of the defining legacy projects of her mayoral years, a nomination that stands to reshape how Bendigo is understood nationally and internationally.

5. Abhishek Awasthi

Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Abhishek Awasthi has been a councillor for the Kennington Ward since November 2024 and served as Deputy Mayor during the 2024-2025 term. An executive and biochemist who has worked within universities and the Victorian State Government, and on the boards of health and multicultural organisations, he brought an unusually broad professional background to his first term on council. He is the first Indian-born councillor elected to the City of Greater Bendigo.

Awasthi arrived in Bendigo in 2010 as an international student at La Trobe University and has called the city home ever since. In 2021, he founded the Indian Association of Bendigo, which now represents approximately 1,500 families and has become one of the city's most active multicultural community organisations. His council work is focused on sustainability, biodiversity, affordable housing, mental health services, and ensuring Bendigo is treated as a genuine priority rather than an afterthought in state and federal decision-making.

6. Shivali Chatley

Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Shivali Chatley was elected to represent the Axedale Ward at the 2024 Greater Bendigo council elections, becoming the first Indian-born woman elected to Bendigo's council. Her election alongside Abhishek Awasthi in the same council intake reflected what Awasthi himself described as "a new Bendigo and a very promising Bendigo." She has been active in her ward's community life and brings a contemporary perspective to a council navigating the challenges of a fast-growing regional city.

As a community leader and Councillor, Chatley represents a Bendigo that is growing in demographic diversity and civic ambition, and her presence on the council is a signal of the changing community that Greater Bendigo is becoming.

7. Damien Hurrell

Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Damien Hurrell is a registered nurse and community sport advocate who was elected to the Ravenswood Ward at the 2024 Greater Bendigo council elections. A professional background in nursing gives Hurrell an insight into the health and wellbeing pressures facing Bendigo's community that complements the work of the broader health sector leaders on this list.

Active in community sport and bringing a grassroots community perspective to the council chamber, Hurrell represents the practical, people-centred leadership approach that regional councils depend on to remain genuinely connected to the people they serve.

8. Owen Cosgriff

Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Owen Cosgriff represents the Whipstick Ward and was elected in November 2024. A Victorian Socialists candidate, Cosgriff brings a distinctly progressive voice to the council on housing affordability, workers' rights, and community services.

The presence of Cosgriff on the council reflects the diversity of political perspectives within Greater Bendigo's community and ensures that alternative approaches to the city's economic and social challenges are part of the formal council conversation.

9. Aaron Spong

Councillor, City of Greater Bendigo

Aaron Spong represents the Eppalock Ward following election in November 2024. Spong brings a rural and semi-rural perspective to the council, representing communities outside Bendigo's urban core and advocating for the needs of the broader Greater Bendigo municipality, which spans approximately 3,000 square kilometres.

The Eppalock Ward encompasses communities with strong agricultural and pastoral connections, and Spong's representation ensures that the diversity of the Greater Bendigo municipality is reflected in council deliberations alongside the needs of the urban centre.

10. Bruce Winzar

Executive Director, Information Services and Chief Information Officer, Bendigo Health

Bruce Winzar serves as Executive Director of Information Services and Chief Information Officer at Bendigo Health, responsible for the digital infrastructure and information systems that underpin the operations of one of regional Victoria's largest and most complex health services.

In a regional health service of Bendigo Health's scale, serving the Loddon Mallee region and coordinating care across multiple facilities and services, the Chief Information Officer role is central to the organisation's ability to deliver coordinated, efficient, and safe patient care. Winzar's leadership of Bendigo Health's digital capability is a quiet but essential dimension of the regional health system's performance.

11. Donna Nicholas

Councillor, Lockwood Ward, City of Greater Bendigo

Donna Nicholas joined the Greater Bendigo City Council through the March 2026 Lockwood Ward by-election, filling a vacancy that opened during the council term. An endurance horse rider and community figure, she came close to winning a council seat at the November 2024 elections and demonstrated strong community support before ultimately securing a position through the by-election process.

Nicholas brings an active community presence and an interest in rural and environmental issues to the council. Her election to the Lockwood Ward, which covers areas to the west of Bendigo's urban centre, ensures that communities in that area continue to have active representation during the current council term.

12. Jacinta Allan

Premier of Victoria; Member for Bendigo East

Jacinta Allan is the Premier of Victoria and the Member for Bendigo East, the seat she has held since 1999 when she became the youngest woman ever elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly. She assumed the Premier's role in September 2023 following Daniel Andrews' resignation, becoming Victoria's 49th Premier and only the second woman to hold the office since Joan Kirner. She grew up in Bendigo and continues to live there, giving her a direct and personal connection to the city that shapes her approach to regional leadership.

As Premier, she has overseen the Victorian Goldfields UNESCO World Heritage nomination, the Thales Bendigo contract extension, and significant investment in Bendigo's health and education infrastructure. Her presence in the Premier's role gives Bendigo an extraordinary degree of direct influence at the highest level of Victorian government, and she remains a visible and active presence in the city alongside her parliamentary responsibilities.

13. Lisa Chesters

Federal Member for Bendigo

Lisa Chesters has represented the Division of Bendigo in the federal House of Representatives since 2013 and was re-elected for a fifth consecutive term at the 2025 federal election. She is the first woman to hold the seat, which has existed since Federation in 1901. Before entering parliament, she worked as a union organiser, and her advocacy instincts have remained central to her parliamentary approach.

As Bendigo's federal representative, Chesters has championed the Thales Bendigo contract, secured funding for local infrastructure projects including pedestrian crossing upgrades and sports facilities, and been a consistent voice for regional equity in federal policy. She lives in Kennington, Bendigo, and is active in the community alongside her parliamentary work.

14. Maree Edwards

Speaker of the Victorian Parliament; Member for Bendigo West

Maree Edwards has served as the Member for Bendigo West in the Victorian Legislative Assembly for many years and currently holds the role of Speaker of the Victorian Parliament, making her one of the most senior figures in Victoria's democratic institutions. As Speaker, she presides over the Legislative Assembly and plays a critical role in the functioning of the Victorian Parliament.

In April 2026, Edwards joined the Premier and federal ministers at Thales Bendigo for the announcement of the seven-year Bushmaster manufacturing contract extension, demonstrating the direct and active role she plays in advocating for her electorate even while managing the significant responsibilities of the Speaker's office.

Health Sector Leadership

Bendigo's health sector is one of its most consequential. Bendigo Health is the lead member of the Loddon Mallee Health Network, serving a region of approximately 300,000 people spread across a large swath of central Victoria. The leaders in this category are navigating workforce pressures, infrastructure investment, and the complex task of delivering specialist services in a regional context.

15. Eileen Hannagan

Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo Health

Eileen Hannagan has been the CEO of Bendigo Health since October 2023, bringing more than 20 years of senior health sector experience to the role. Before joining Bendigo Health, she served for nine years as CEO of Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, a specialist cancer centre in Sydney, and held executive director and COO roles at Epworth Richmond and St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne. She is a registered nurse by training and holds a Senior Executive Masters of Business from the University of Melbourne.

As Chair of the Loddon Mallee Health Network, Hannagan leads a regional health system that extends well beyond Bendigo itself. Her work at Bendigo Health encompasses emergency care, surgical services, mental health, allied health, and the complex challenge of recruiting and retaining clinical staff in a regional city.

16. Mandy Hutchinson

Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo Community Health Services; Chair, Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health

Mandy Hutchinson became CEO of Bendigo Community Health Services in 2024, bringing a depth of rural and regional community health experience from a previous role as CEO of Northern District Community Health. A founding member and current Chair of the Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH), Hutchinson works at the intersection of direct service delivery and sector-wide advocacy for health equity in rural and regional Victoria.

Bendigo Community Health Services operates with annual revenue of approximately $34 million and serves some of the most vulnerable people in the Greater Bendigo community. The ARRCH Chair role extends Hutchinson's influence across the network of regional community health organisations working to reduce health inequity in rural Victoria.

17. Michael Hogan

Chief Executive Officer, St John of God Bendigo Hospital

Michael Hogan has led St John of God Bendigo Hospital as CEO since 2022, returning to the organisation where he previously served as CEO from 2005. A Chartered Accountant with certifications across health services, health care management, leadership, and culture, Hogan brings more than 25 years of private and public health care experience to the role.

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is a 167-bed private not-for-profit hospital that plays a significant role in the city's healthcare landscape alongside Bendigo Health. The combination of a Catholic mission framework and the practical demands of a regional private hospital requires a leadership approach that is both values-driven and operationally rigorous.

18. Anna Hill

Director of Marketing and Business Development, St John of God Bendigo Hospital

Anna Hill was named the 2025 Be.Bendigo Leader of the Year, an award that recognised her as outstanding in every respect by the judging panel. She serves as Director of Marketing and Business Development at St John of God Bendigo Hospital, where her connection to the institution is generational: her grandfather Frank K. Hill was a respected Bendigo businessman and former Chair of the hospital's Board.

She brings both deep institutional knowledge and strategic marketing expertise to her role, and her recognition as Leader of the Year at Bendigo's largest and most prestigious business awards reflects the scope of her contribution to the city's broader business and community life.

19. Dr Carol McKinstry

Professor of Occupational Therapy and Deputy Dean, La Trobe University Rural Health School; Board Director, Bendigo Health

Carol McKinstry is a Professor of Occupational Therapy in the Rural Health School at La Trobe University's Bendigo Campus, where she serves as Associate Dean Learning and Teaching and Deputy Dean of the Rural Health School. Research focuses on rural health workforce challenges, including pre-professional education, workforce recruitment and retention, and the delivery of services such as telehealth in regional contexts.

As a Board Director of Occupational Therapy Australia, Trustee of the OT Australia Research Foundation, Chair of the Bendigo Forum, and Board Director of Bendigo Health, McKinstry operates at the intersection of health education, research, professional governance, and regional health system leadership across multiple significant institutions.

20. A/Prof Rex Prabhu

Chief Medical Officer, Bendigo Health

Rex Prabhu was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Bendigo Health in May 2025, overseeing Clinical Governance and regional priorities for the Loddon Mallee Health Network. Before joining Bendigo Health, service included the role of Executive Medical Director at Swan Hill District Health and senior positions in New South Wales including Assistant Director of Medical Services at Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals.

The focus at Bendigo Health is on driving innovation in clinical governance, fostering clinician leadership, and designing sustainable training pathways for healthcare professionals in a regional setting, with a particular emphasis on building connected, supported clinical teams as the foundation for meaningful improvements in patient care.

21. Sally Harris

Chief Allied Health Officer and Executive Director, Allied Health and Continuing Care, Bendigo Health; Chair, Loddon Mallee Allied Health Leadership Group

Sally Harris has spent more than 25 years at Bendigo Health, beginning as an Occupational Therapist in 1999 and progressively building into leadership roles across allied health, quality, and executive functions. Harris currently serves as Chief Allied Health Officer and Executive Director of Allied Health and Continuing Care, and as Chair of the Loddon Mallee Allied Health Leadership Group.

A career trajectory from clinician to executive within a single institution reflects both a depth of commitment to Bendigo Health and the organisation's approach to developing leaders from within. Oversight of allied health, community services, and continuing care spans some of the most complex care pathways in the regional health system.

22. David Rosaia

Chief Operating Officer, Bendigo Health

David Rosaia has been part of Bendigo Health since 1993, holding roles including Nurse Educator, Clinical Care Coordinator, Operations Manager, Medical and Surgical Director of Nursing, and Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer before the current position as Chief Operating Officer. A three-decade tenure at Bendigo Health produces an understanding of the organisation's culture, history, and operational complexity that only comes from sustained commitment.

Outside Bendigo Health, Rosaia has served as a Board Director and former Chair of Rochester Elmore District Health Service, demonstrating a commitment to the broader regional health system beyond the immediate organisation.

23. Melissa Phillips

Chief People Officer, Bendigo Health

Melissa Phillips serves as Chief People Officer at Bendigo Health, responsible for the people and culture function of a health service that employs thousands of staff across the Loddon Mallee region. In a sector where workforce recruitment and retention is among the most pressing challenges facing regional health providers, this role sits at the centre of Bendigo Health's ability to sustain and build its clinical capability.

The Chief People Officer function in a complex regional health service spans workforce planning, leadership development, organisational culture, enterprise bargaining, and the recruitment pipelines that determine whether specialist services can be maintained in a regional setting. Phillips' leadership of this function is central to the organisation's long-term sustainability.

Education Leadership

Bendigo's education sector spans one of regional Victoria's largest TAFE providers, a university campus that has served the region for more than 150 years, two significant secondary schools whose principals are among the most respected in the state, and a research community that is developing the rural health workforce for all of central Victoria.

24. Laura Macpherson

Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo Kangan Institute

Laura Macpherson became CEO of Bendigo Kangan Institute in October 2025, joining the organisation at a pivotal moment in its history. She came to the role from TAFE Gippsland, where Macpherson led the organisation to its highest-ever recorded levels of student satisfaction, industry engagement, and regional market share, and secured the title of Victoria's Large Training Provider of the Year in 2023.

Bendigo Kangan Institute encompasses four brands, with Bendigo TAFE as the flagship regional offering alongside Kangan Institute, VETASSESS, and eWorks. The 2030 Strategic Plan aims to make it Australia's leading skills provider, and Macpherson's priorities include accelerating workforce development in government and industry priority sectors and delivering major infrastructure projects including a new Hume Tech School and campuses at Sunbury and Melton.

25. Kylie Hand

Principal, Bendigo Senior Secondary College

Kylie Hand became Principal of Bendigo Senior Secondary College in April 2025, making history as the first female head of the school in its 118-year history. With more than 22 years at the college, beginning as a graduate teacher in 2002 and progressing to Assistant Principal in 2010, Hand brings an unmatched depth of institutional knowledge to the role.

Bendigo Senior Secondary College is Victoria's largest provider of VCE, VCE Vocational Major, and VET, and the first government school in the world to be accredited with the Council of International Schools. Hand's clear commitment to inclusive, high-quality education for all pathways makes the role one of the most significant in regional Victorian secondary education.

26. Dr Emma O'Rielly

Principal, Girton Grammar School

Emma O'Rielly has served as Principal of Girton Grammar School since October 2023, having twice acted in the role before being permanently appointed following a nationwide search. In 2025, O'Rielly was a finalist for the Be.Bendigo Leader of the Year award, recognition that reflects visible leadership both within the school and across the broader Bendigo community.

Girton Grammar is an independent co-educational school of approximately 1,200 students from Prep to Year 12. In 2025, 51.8 per cent of the school's graduates finished in the top 20 per cent of the state. The school is the first in Australia to adopt Yale University's RULER Approach to emotional intelligence education across all students and staff, and O'Rielly has continued and deepened that commitment to social and emotional learning as a foundation for academic achievement.

27. Professor Theo Farrell

Vice-Chancellor and President, La Trobe University

Theo Farrell was appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University in February 2024 on a 12-year term. A leading scholar of modern warfare and the Afghan conflict who previously served as a strategic advisor to the UK government, Farrell assumed leadership of La Trobe at a moment of significant financial and strategic challenge for the institution.

The Bendigo Campus is La Trobe's largest regional campus, with more than 4,000 students and 400 staff, and has been a part of the region's tertiary education landscape in various forms since 1873. Strategic decisions about investment, research priorities, and curriculum directly shape the educational opportunities available to students across regional Victoria.

28. Professor Joanna Barbousas

Dean, School of Education, La Trobe University

Joanna Barbousas serves as Dean of La Trobe University's School of Education, which was recognised in the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject, entering the top 200 education schools globally. Under Barbousas' leadership, the School entered into a partnership with Think Forward Educators to support evidence-based approaches to teacher education.

La Trobe's School of Education is one of the primary pipelines for teaching graduates who serve regional and rural schools across Victoria. The focus on science of learning approaches, teacher development, and the employment-based Nexus pathway into secondary teaching for hard-to-staff schools makes this one of the most consequential education leadership roles for regional communities across the state.

Business and Corporate Leadership

Bendigo's business sector is shaped by institutions that bear the city's name and carry its identity into national and global markets. The leaders in this category range from the CEO of Australia's most prominent community bank to founders building businesses that put Bendigo on the national tourism map.

29. Richard Fennell

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank

Richard Fennell was appointed CEO and Managing Director of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in August 2024, succeeding Marnie Baker after 35 years with the bank. He joined the bank in 2007 and served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief General Manager Group Strategy, and most recently Chief Customer Officer for Consumer Banking before stepping into the top role.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is one of the most significant institutions bearing Bendigo's name anywhere in the world, with a Community Bank model that has been replicated across Australia and a national brand positioning built on trust and community purpose. Fennell is overseeing the next phase of the bank's digital transformation while preserving the community banking identity central to the institution since its founding.

30. Vicki Carter

Chairwoman, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank

Vicki Carter has served as Chairwoman of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank since April 2024, bringing senior executive experience from Telstra and NAB to the governance of one of Australia's most recognised regional financial institutions.

As Chair of the board of an institution whose community banking model has shaped how Australians think about the relationship between banking and community investment, Carter's governance leadership directly influences the strategic direction of an organisation that is central to Bendigo's national identity.

31. Hayley Tibbett

Chief Executive Officer, Be.Bendigo

Hayley Tibbett became CEO of Be.Bendigo in February 2025, taking over the leadership of Bendigo's peak business community organisation. An entrepreneur who founded Indulge Fine Belgian Chocolates in 2008 and Pasta Pantry in 1998, Tibbett brings direct experience of what it means to build and sustain a small business in regional Victoria.

Be.Bendigo's 2025 Business Excellence Awards, the 30th edition of the programme, attracted a record 766 attendees, more than 600 business nominations, and more than 300 submissions across 20 categories. The combination of entrepreneurial credibility and community commitment makes Tibbett an effective champion for the businesses the organisation serves.

32. Jeff Connolly

Chief Executive Officer, Thales Australia and New Zealand

Jeff Connolly leads Thales Australia and New Zealand, the Australian subsidiary of one of the world's leading defence, aerospace, and digital security companies. The Bendigo facility is one of Thales's most significant in Australia, responsible for the design and manufacture of Bushmaster and Hawkei protected vehicles for the Australian Army. In April 2026, the federal government committed to a further seven years of Thales operations in Bendigo, securing 300 jobs.

The leadership of Thales Australia directly shapes the employment, supply chain investment, and industrial capability of the Bendigo region. The Thales Bendigo site has been described by the federal Defence Industry Minister as the crown jewels of the Australian defence industry, and Connolly's stewardship of the company's Australian operations has been central to the advocacy and negotiation that produced the most recent contract extension.

33. Kevin Dole

Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo Telco

Kevin Dole is leading Bendigo Telco into what the organisation describes as a new era of influence, drawing on more than 35 years of technical and leadership experience in large organisations with particular expertise in banking and finance. Bendigo Telco is a community-founded telecommunications provider with deep roots in the city's cooperative and community enterprise traditions.

The focus on customer outcomes and sustainable growth reflects the organisation's founding purpose. Dole also serves as a Board Member and Director of Bendigo Stadium Limited, deepening the connection between community telecommunications and community sporting infrastructure.

34. Jessica Bridgfoot

Director, Bendigo Art Gallery

Jessica Bridgfoot has led the Bendigo Art Gallery as Director since 2019, and is currently overseeing the most significant transformation in the gallery's more than 130-year history. The gallery closed in December 2025 for a $45 million stage one redevelopment, expected to be completed by early 2028, create more than 260 jobs during construction, and generate up to $35 million in annual economic activity once reopened. A Bendigo local who grew up visiting the gallery as a child, Bridgfoot pitched an exhibition idea to the previous director, joined the curatorial team, and progressively built the way to the director's chair.

During the tenure, the gallery secured funding for a First Nations Curator, managed a significant repatriation project with the Dja Dja Wurrung, co-curated innovative exhibitions across fashion, celebrity, design, contemporary Australian art, and First Nations art, and positioned the gallery as one of the most ambitious and consequential regional cultural institutions in Australia.

35. Greta Donaldson

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo Brittle

Greta Donaldson won the prestigious Kathryn Mackenzie Award at the 2025 Victorian Tourism Awards, a recognition named after a former City of Greater Bendigo Tourism Manager whose work laid the foundation for Bendigo's tourism sector. Donaldson founded Bendigo Brittle, a confectionery and agritourism business that has become one of the most distinctive tourism offerings in the Greater Bendigo region.

In 2025, Donaldson dedicated more than 200 hours of personal time to organising The Bloomin' Good Market, a community event that engaged 240 businesses from across the region. The combination of product innovation, community mindset, and authentic regional identity reflects the kind of entrepreneurial leadership that builds both economic and social value simultaneously.

36. James Reade

Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo Heritage Attractions

James Reade leads Bendigo Heritage Attractions, the organisation responsible for the management and presentation of Bendigo's significant heritage sites, which collectively tell the story of one of the world's most significant gold rush cities.

The heritage sector is central to Bendigo's tourism identity and its bid for UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Victorian Goldfields, and the leadership of the organisation during an ambitious period of advocacy and programming makes Bendigo Heritage Attractions a key institution in the city's cultural future.

Aboriginal and First Nations Leadership

The Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Peoples are the traditional custodians of the lands of Greater Bendigo, and their leadership organisations are among the most significant in central Victoria. The leaders in this category are building culturally grounded, community-controlled services and advocating for Aboriginal self-determination at local, state, and national levels.

37. Hayley Mansfield

Interim Chief Executive Officer, Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative

Hayley Mansfield stepped into the role of Interim CEO of the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative in June 2026, following the appointment of the previous CEO to a statewide role. BDAC is one of the most significant Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in regional Victoria, founded to represent and provide services to the Dja Dja Wurrung community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents living in the Dja Dja Wurrung boundaries.

In September 2025, under the organisation's previous leadership, BDAC opened a new two-storey mixed medical facility in North Bendigo, including consulting rooms, allied health rooms, and a dental consultation space. Mansfield's leadership transition is occurring at a moment of significant organisational achievement and ongoing growth.

38. Dallas Widdicombe

Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, Victoria

Dallas Widdicombe is a proud Dharug man who served as CEO of the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative from late 2022 until June 2026, during which time he oversaw the completion of BDAC's new medical facility in North Bendigo, grew the organisation's services and workforce substantially, and was recognised in 2024 with the Walda Blow Victorian Protecting Children Award for his work establishing the Garinga Bupup Early Intervention Program for expectant mothers.

In June 2026, Widdicombe was appointed Victoria's Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People for a five-year term, a statewide role that draws directly on the community health, child welfare, and organisational leadership experience built in Bendigo. The commitment to self-determination and culturally connected approaches to care, developed over years of work including seven years in Western Australia's remote Balgo community, gives Widdicombe a depth of leadership capability that the Victorian Government is drawing on at a statewide level.

39. Rodney Carter

Interim Director, Mabo Centre, University of Melbourne; former CEO, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation; Bendigo resident

Rodney Carter is a Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta man who resides in Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo, and whose contribution to the governance of the Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples and to Aboriginal rights in Victoria has been foundational. For close to a decade, Carter served as Group CEO of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DJAARA) and Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises Pty Ltd, leading the economic development of the Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples' land and sea rights and negotiating the landmark Recognition and Settlement Agreement of 2013 under Victoria's Traditional Owner Settlement Act.

The Dja Dja Wurrung became the first Traditional Owner group to register their intent to negotiate a Traditional Owner Treaty under Carter's leadership. In early 2026, appointment to the role of Interim Director of the Mabo Centre, an Indigenous-led research partnership between the University of Melbourne and the National Native Title Council, followed. Carter continues to reside in Bendigo, and the influence on the governance of Dja Dja Wurrung Country remains a defining part of how Bendigo understands its own foundations.

Arts, Culture, Heritage and Destination

Bendigo's arts and culture sector is undergoing a period of significant transition in 2026, with the Art Gallery closed for redevelopment and the Writers Festival in a year of planning before a return in 2027. The leaders in this category are navigating both challenge and opportunity in a city that has built a genuine reputation as a regional cultural destination.

40. David Elliott

Chief Executive Officer, Red Energy Arena (Bendigo Stadium Limited)

David Elliott has led Red Energy Arena, which trades as Bendigo Stadium Limited, for a significant period, drawing on more than two decades of senior leadership experience in sports, entertainment, and stadium management. A career that included 11 years with the West Coast Eagles in Perth and 13 years in various senior commercial and operational roles within the AFL informs the strategic and operational leadership of the arena.

Red Energy Arena is the Bendigo community's premier sports and entertainment facility, hosting elite professional and semi-professional competitions, community sport across all levels, and major events that bring regional and interstate visitors into the city. The facility's role as both a community asset and a regional economic driver makes its leadership a consequential position in Bendigo's cultural and economic life.

41. James Myatt

Executive Officer, Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon

James Myatt leads Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon, the regional tourism body responsible for promoting Bendigo and the Loddon region as a destination for visitors from across Australia and internationally. In December 2025, the Executive Officer congratulated Bendigo Brittle's Greta Donaldson on her tourism award win and praised her contribution to the region's visitor economy.

The leadership of the destination marketing body is central to how the city positions itself as a cultural, heritage, and experience destination, particularly during the Art Gallery closure period when Bendigo's visitor economy needs to diversify. The Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon role sits at the intersection of tourism promotion, industry development, and regional economic advocacy.

42. Nick Carter

Board Chair, Be.Bendigo

Nick Carter chairs the board of Be.Bendigo, Bendigo's peak business community organisation, bringing more than 20 years of banking and finance industry experience to the governance of an organisation that supports, connects, and advocates for the business community across Greater Bendigo.

At the 2025 Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards, Carter addressed a record crowd of 766 business and community leaders, encouraging business owners to reflect on the value they create for the community and the connections that make Bendigo's business ecosystem distinctive. The Board Chair role provides strategic governance and community connectivity to an organisation that is central to Bendigo's business identity.

43. Craig Bosworth

Board Director, Bendigo Health; Board Member, Regional Development Australia Loddon Mallee; former Chief Executive Officer, City of Greater Bendigo

Craig Bosworth served as CEO of the City of Greater Bendigo for 16 years, one of the longest CEO tenures of any major regional council in Victoria. During that time, major projects delivered included Ulumbarra Theatre, the expansion of Bendigo Airport, the Bendigo Stadium expansion, the early stages of the Bendigo Art Gallery expansion, the Bendigo Library redevelopment, the Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre, and a sustained range of community sporting infrastructure.

Bosworth is credited with mentoring a generation of local government leaders who have gone on to CEO roles elsewhere, and continues to contribute to Bendigo's institutional fabric through board roles at Bendigo Health, Regional Development Australia Loddon Mallee Region, and Bendigo Heritage Attractions. The sustained commitment to the city across multiple institutional roles reflects one of Bendigo's most dedicated civic careers.

Community, Youth and Social Impact

Bendigo's community and youth leadership sector reflects the city's authentic strength as a place where people show up for each other. The leaders in this category are working at the grassroots of civic life, and their influence on how Bendigo functions as a community is disproportionate to the scale of the institutions they lead.

44. Levity Camilleri

Youth Mayor, City of Greater Bendigo Youth Council, 2025

Levity Camilleri served as Youth Mayor of Greater Bendigo during the 2025 term and was the first non-binary person to hold the role in the city's history. A Year 12 student at Bendigo Senior Secondary College and a proud representative of Bendigo's LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse communities, Camilleri came to the Youth Mayor role with a year's experience on the Youth Council and a track record of advocacy on food security, housing, youth mental health, and community inclusion.

Camilleri brings a thoughtful philosophical framework to leadership, citing Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a starting point for thinking about what young Bendigans genuinely need from their city. The Youth Council leadership during Camilleri's term contributed to the city's ongoing engagement with youth perspectives on council plans and strategies, building on a seven-year track record of Youth Council involvement in nearly 60 City plans, strategies, policies, and projects.

45. Ava Parker

Co-Director, Bendigo Sustainability Festival

Ava Parker is the co-director of the Bendigo Sustainability Festival and one of the most active young environmental leaders in the region. At 20, Parker served as Operations Director for the 2025 Bendigo Sustainability Festival, coordinating logistics, compliance, and a volunteer team. The 2025 City of Greater Bendigo Youth Award for Sustainability and Environment in the 18-25 age group followed, with judges recognising a commitment to amplifying young voices in environmental decision-making, mentoring peers, and bridging generational gaps in the sustainability conversation.

As co-director, Parker leads a festival that has become one of Bendigo's signature community events, connecting residents, businesses, and organisations around the practical and cultural dimensions of building a more sustainable city.

46. Phannika Finnerty

2026 Young Citizen of the Year, City of Greater Bendigo; Volunteer leader, Dementia Buddy Program

Phannika Finnerty was named the 2026 Young Citizen of the Year by the City of Greater Bendigo, recognised for an extraordinary volunteer contribution to the Dementia Alliance's Dementia Buddy Program. As of January 2026, more than 600 hours had been contributed to the program, which creates an inclusive space where students, including those on the autism spectrum, connect meaningfully with people living with dementia. Finnerty is also a young carer for three younger siblings, all of whom are on the autism spectrum.

Beyond the Dementia Buddy Program, active involvement with Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary, Inner Wheel, and the Country Education Partnership reflects a breadth of community commitment. The recognition as Young Citizen of the Year acknowledges an impact that is genuinely felt at an individual, family, and community level.

47. Laura Power

Community and Communications Leader, South Bendigo Football Netball Club

Laura Power won the 2024 Barrett Family Netball Award and was recognised in the 2025 City of Greater Bendigo Youth Awards for transformational leadership in social media, events, and fundraising at the South Bendigo Football Netball Club. Through communications, event management, and community engagement work, Power strengthened the club's connection with its broader community and established a presence as an inspiring role model, particularly for others navigating injury and adversity in sport leadership roles.

Community sport clubs are among the most important social infrastructure in regional Australian cities, and the people who build and sustain them behind the scenes are often invisible in leadership conversations. Laura Power's recognition places grassroots community sport leadership firmly in the picture alongside the city's institutional and civic leaders.

Notable Voices We Almost Included

Several significant Bendigo figures were considered but ultimately not included in the main list. Rob Hunt, who retired as Managing Director of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank after 21 years as CEO and is widely credited as the architect of the Community Bank model, is one of the most historically consequential leaders in Bendigo's recent history. His retirement predates the 12-month currency window required for a current-leaders directory. Marnie Baker, the former CEO of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank who led the institution for six years before retirement in August 2024, is another figure whose contribution to the bank and to Bendigo's identity is substantial but whose departure takes her outside the current-leaders frame.

The Fosterville Gold Mine, one of Bendigo's largest industrial employers, operates without a publicly identifiable on-site leadership figure in current sources. Bendigo Venues and Events, the performing arts arm of the City of Greater Bendigo, similarly did not yield a publicly named CEO or director in available sources. Both represent genuine gaps in this directory that will be addressed in future editions.

Common Mistakes When Thinking About Regional Leadership

One of the most persistent errors in conversations about regional Australian cities is the assumption that significant leadership only exists in Sydney and Melbourne. Bendigo demonstrates that this is wrong in almost every sector simultaneously. The second most common error is treating regional leadership as a junior version of metropolitan leadership, as though the CEO of a regional hospital or the principal of a regional secondary college is doing a smaller, less complex version of the work their metropolitan counterparts do.

The opposite is closer to the truth. Eileen Hannagan is running a health service that is the sole significant provider of specialist care for hundreds of thousands of people spread across a vast geographic region. She does not have the luxury of a nearby competitor that a patient can be redirected to if the hospital faces a capacity challenge. Kylie Hand is leading a school that is Victoria's largest VCE provider, the first government school in the world to be accredited with the Council of International Schools, and a community anchor for four other secondary colleges that feed into it from across the city. Laura Macpherson is running a TAFE organisation that is working toward being Australia's leading skills provider by 2030, not merely a good regional training provider.

The mistake of underestimating regional leadership also manifests in how professional development is allocated. Organisations that would readily invest in bringing a keynote speaker or facilitator to a Melbourne team often hesitate to make the same investment for a regional team, despite the fact that the regional team frequently operates under greater complexity, with less slack in its staffing, and with less access to the metropolitan professional development ecosystem. Hire Jonno White for your Bendigo or regional Victorian leadership team to facilitate a Working Genius workshop, executive team offsite, or leadership keynote that addresses the specific dynamics of leading in a regional context. Email jonno@consultclarity.org. International travel is often far more affordable than clients expect, and many regional organisations find that bringing the right facilitator to them is significantly more cost-effective than sending teams to metropolitan providers.

Implementation Guide: How to Use This Directory

This directory is most useful as a starting point, not an endpoint. The people listed here are not celebrities who exist at a distance from the community. They are, for the most part, accessible leaders who are genuinely embedded in the life of Greater Bendigo. Here is how to make use of what you have just read.

First, identify the leaders most relevant to your sector or interest. If you are a health professional, the Loddon Mallee health network leaders are worth knowing both professionally and as civic figures. If you are a business owner, Be.Bendigo's CEO and board chair are direct resources. If you are a parent or educator, the secondary school principals and the La Trobe and Bendigo Kangan leadership represent the institutions shaping your community's educational future.

Second, engage with the organisations before the individuals. Most of the leaders on this list can be reached through the organisations they lead, through the Bendigo Business Excellence Awards, through the City of Greater Bendigo's public meetings and community engagement processes, or through the professional networks in their sectors.

Third, think about what cross-sector connection could offer. One of Bendigo's genuine strengths is that its scale makes cross-sector leadership connection more achievable than in a larger city. A regional leadership forum that brings together a hospital CEO, a school principal, a council CEO, a bank executive, and an Aboriginal community leader is entirely realistic in Bendigo in a way that is logistically and culturally harder to achieve in a city of five million.

For organisations looking to strengthen the leadership capability, alignment, and communication of their executive teams, book Jonno White to facilitate a Working Genius workshop or executive team offsite. Jonno is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator who works with teams across regional Australia. Whether virtual or in person, reach out at jonno@consultclarity.org.

For more on the broader landscape of local government leadership in Australia and New Zealand, see our directory of local government leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the most influential leaders in Bendigo, Australia?

The most influential leaders in Bendigo in 2026 span local government, health, education, business, Aboriginal community governance, arts, and youth leadership. Civic leaders including Mayor Thomas Prince, CEO Andrew Cooney, and Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan sit alongside health leaders such as Bendigo Health CEO Eileen Hannagan and business leaders including Bendigo and Adelaide Bank CEO Richard Fennell and Bendigo Kangan Institute CEO Laura Macpherson. This directory profiles 47 of the most documented and active leaders across all sectors of Greater Bendigo as of June 2026.

What is Bendigo known for in terms of leadership?

Bendigo is known for producing leaders who combine deep community roots with significant institutional responsibility. The city is home to one of Australia's most iconic community banking models, a major regional health network, a university campus that has served the region for more than 150 years, and a defence manufacturing facility that is central to Australia's sovereign land vehicle production. Bendigo's leadership culture is characterised by genuine community embeddedness: many of the city's most significant leaders have spent decades in the region and are personally invested in its future.

How is Bendigo growing and why does leadership matter?

The City of Greater Bendigo is projected to grow from approximately 105,000 people in the urban core to approximately 200,000 within the next 30 years. The infrastructure, institutional, and cultural decisions being made by the leaders on this list right now will shape what that larger city looks and feels like. The Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment, the airport terminal expansion, the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct, the Aboriginal community health facility opened in 2025, and the sustained growth of La Trobe's Bendigo Campus are all long-term investments in Bendigo's capacity as a city that is worth living in, working in, and visiting.

Who leads the City of Greater Bendigo?

The City of Greater Bendigo is led by a nine-member council elected in November 2024, with Mayor Thomas Prince and Deputy Mayor Karen Corr elected by the council in November 2025. The council CEO is Andrew Cooney, who has been in the role since December 2023. The council is supported by four directorates covering corporate performance, healthy communities and environments, strategy and growth, and presentation and assets.

Who is the CEO of Bendigo Health?

Eileen Hannagan has been CEO of Bendigo Health since October 2023. She also serves as Chair of the Loddon Mallee Health Network, which coordinates specialist health services across the broader Loddon Mallee region of central Victoria.

Final Thoughts

Bendigo is a city that does not fit the template that most leadership conversations apply to regional Australia. It is not declining. It is not waiting for investment to arrive. It is not a smaller, slower version of Melbourne. It is a genuinely consequential regional city with institutions of national significance, a growing population, an infrastructure pipeline that is the most ambitious in its recent history, and a leadership community that is diverse, deeply rooted, and actively building something worth watching.

The 47 leaders in this directory are not the only people shaping Bendigo in 2026. There are hundreds of others across local businesses, schools, sporting clubs, volunteer organisations, and community enterprises who are doing consequential work every day without appearing in a publication like this. The best use of this list is not to treat it as definitive, but to treat it as a starting point. Follow the people on it. Look for the connections between their sectors. Ask what they are trying to build and how you might contribute.

If your organisation is based in Bendigo or regional Victoria and you want to strengthen how your leadership team works together, email jonno@consultclarity.org to discuss what a Working Genius workshop, executive offsite, or leadership keynote could look like for your team. Jonno White is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold), and host of The Leadership Conversations Podcast (240+ episodes, 150+ countries). Organisations consistently find that bringing Jonno to a regional engagement costs far less than expected, and the outcomes last.

For more on the leaders shaping other regional Australian cities, see our directory of influential leaders shaping regional cities across Australia and the 

influential leaders shaping Melbourne.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, author of Step Up or Step Out, and leadership consultant who has worked with schools, corporates, and nonprofits around the world. His book Step Up or Step Out has sold over 10,000 copies globally, and his podcast The Leadership Conversations has featured 240+ episodes reaching listeners in 150+ countries. Jonno founded The 7 Questions Movement with 6,000+ participating leaders and achieved a 93.75% satisfaction rating for his Working Genius masterclass at the ASBA 2025 National Conference. Based in Brisbane, Australia, Jonno works globally and regularly travels for speaking and facilitation engagements. Organisations consistently find that international travel is far more affordable than expected. To book Jonno for your next keynote, workshop, or facilitation session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Sources

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2022 Census (Bendigo urban population). City of Greater Bendigo Adopted Budget 2025/2026 (Art Gallery redevelopment figures, growth projections). Australian Government Department of Defence, Minister for Defence Industry transcript, April 2026 (Thales Bendigo contract announcement). Victorian Electoral Commission (councillor election results 2024, Lockwood Ward by-election March 2026). La Trobe University campus page (Bendigo student and staff numbers, QS Rankings 2024). Wikipedia, Bendigo Senior Secondary College (Victoria's largest VCE provider, first female principal). Commission for Children and Young People Victoria, May 2026 (Dallas Widdicombe appointment). Mabo Centre, January 2026 (Rodney Carter appointment). City of Greater Bendigo, January 2026 (2026 Young Citizen of Year announcement). Be.Bendigo, August 2025 (Business Excellence Awards figures). Victorian Tourism Awards 2025 (Kathryn Mackenzie Award, Greta Donaldson). Girton Grammar School website, 2025 (graduate performance data). Bendigo Kangan Institute, September 2025 (Laura Macpherson CEO appointment). Bendigo Health Group Executive page (current executive team). Indigenous News Australia, May 2026 (Dallas Widdicombe Commissioner appointment).

Next Read

For a similar directory of influential leaders shaping another significant regional Australian city, see our profile of the Central Coast of New South Wales: 50 Influential Leaders on the Central Coast in Australia.

Keep reading: https://www.consultclarity.org/post/influential-leaders-central-coast-australia