Chief executive of First State Super, Michael Dwyer, has been appointed the new chair of Australia for UNHCR, replacing founding chair, John Denton, who would step down and relocate to Paris.
Dwyer has been a committed advocate for refugees and a board director for Australia for UNHCR since its launch in 2000, travelling to East Timor, Turkey and Lebanon to meet with refugees and see the impact of donations firsthand.
Dwyer has been instrumental in galvanising support for refugees within the financial services sector, raising more than $1.5 million for the World Refugee Day Breakfast.
UNHCR’s national director for Australia, Naomi Steer, said Dwyer’s passion for the refugee cause had no limit, and his counsel has played a significant role in the growth of the organisation.
“We are delighted to see him take the helm as our new chairman as we help UNHCR respond to unprecedented global displacement around the world,” she said.
Steer also thanked Denton for his leadership and dedication to the refugee cause in her announcement.
“His guidance has helped underpin the profound growth of our organisation since we launched and mobilised high-level contributions from both the private and government sectors.”
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