Julie Bishop address to Council 2010
New ACFID Executive Director
29 April 2009
2/09
I am very pleased to announce that Marc Purcell has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).
Marc is currently the Advocacy Manager at Oxfam Australia, a post he has held since 2004, and has previously been Executive Officer of the Catholic Commission for Justice, Development and Peace. He has worked for Australian Volunteers International and the UNHCR. He also worked as a Human Rights Policy Officer for ACFOA (as ACFID was then known) in the mid to late 1990s.
Marc impressed the interview panel with his dynamism and energy and his well-developed vision for the future direction and development of ACFID. He brings extensive advocacy experience built upon a useful background of development practice, with highly developed representational skills. He has demonstrated a strong capacity to bring diverse groups together in common action.
Marc will replace Paul O’Callaghan who left ACFID at the end of March to become Chief Executive Officer of Reconciliation Australia.
I am very excited about the prospect of working with Marc. He brings a lot to the job. His appointment gives me a great deal of confidence for the future of ACFID.
Incoming Executive Director Marc Purcell said, ‘While some focus on the national interest, Australian aid agencies think about the global interests of humanity and collectively raise nearly one billion dollars annually to be dispersed to assist communities around the world.
The vast majority of funds raised are donated through the goodness of the Australian public who share our concern for humanity.
The members of the Australian Council for International Development commit to high standards of transparency and accountability by signing a code of conduct to ensure trust with the Australian people is secure.’
Marc will commence with ACFID on 15 June. In the meantime, Kelly Bruce will continue to act as Executive Director.
For further information contact:
Margaret Reid, President
phone: 0418 622 651
Long Term Afghanistan Aid Commitment Applauded
ACFID’s Dr Susan Harris Rimmer discusses the Federal Budget with Albion Harrison-Naish from 2ser’s AidWorks