Governance
Danford Higher Education Pty Ltd trading as Danford Higher Education (DHE) is a private business providing educational services.
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Board of Directors
DHE is governed by a Board of Directors that includes three independent members and two representatives of the owners of DHE. The Board of Directors has oversight of the strategic direction, management and financial viability of DHE in addition to ensuring that DHE continues to meet its legal, regulatory, financial and social obligations and responsibilities.
Members of the Board of Directors
Associate Professor Malcolm Abbott (Independent Chair)
Associate Professor Malcolm Abbott (Independent Chair) Previously Associate Professor of Economics, Associate Dean Research, and Head of Accounting, Economics, Finance and Law Academic Group, Swinburne University of Technology. Prof Abbott in the past worked on the development and accreditation of degree programs in private colleges and universities, both in Australia and New Zealand. An economist by profession, his main fields of work are energy markets (natural gas and electricity), pricing and access to network infrastructure by government agencies. He has undertaken related projects on electricity and gas demand forecasting, telecommunications investment, and water management. He has experience working in other areas of government policy including rail, seaports, airports, dairy industry deregulation, stevedoring and education. He has published over 100 referred journal articles and seven books.
Professor John Hall (Independent Member)
Prof Hall is an esteemed academic with previous experience from the Department of Marketing in Deakin Business School. Prof Hall’s research, teaching and publication areas are marketing related, including research methodology and analysis, international marketing, non-profit and social marketing, branding, tourism and hospitality marketing, marketing education and consumer behaviour, which have resulted in obtaining two ARC grants and numerous A-level publications. He enjoys teaching students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as supervising postgraduate and research students. He also has experience in leadership and management, including being a Head of Department and Dean.
Ms Catherine Hopper (Independent Member)
Catherine Hopper is a finance professional with 15 years of experience in corporate finance within investment banking, funds management and Australian corporates. She brings a range of skills to the board, particularly strategic and financial expertise focused on strategic planning and financial governance. Catherine holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) / Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University. She is also a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).
Mr Tony Yeung (Owner’s Representative)
Tony Yeung is the General Manager and Head of Compliance of Star Gazers Education Pty Ltd (SGE) trading as Danford College. Tony has over 20 years’ experience in the international education sector and has been with SGE since 2013. Tony holds post graduate qualifications in strategic leadership and management and his role is to provide visionary and strategic leadership to the organisation and promotes SGE development and growth locally and internationally. Tony is also a Certified Education Manager. Those admitted to the ITECA College of Vocational Education and Training Professionals as a Certified Education Manager (CEM) join an elite cohort of executives recognised for the leadership in building the sector's reputation for excellence. In 2021, Tony has been recognised by Industry Era Education Magazine as one of Australia's “10 Best Education Leaders of 2021”.
Mr Vikas Wadhwa (Owner’s representative)
Vikas Wadhwa is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Star Gazers Education (SGE) Pty Ltd. With a strong personal commitment to education, Vikas has been involved in international education since 2007. He has led the development of SGE and the long-term strategic goals of the organisation with a strong background in global business expansion and brings a mix of expertise to the Board of Directors of DHE in the areas of operations, risk management, audit and finance from his work experience in the ELICOS and VET sectors. Vikas is a graduate of Information System and Immigration Law and has a distinguished career as an entrepreneur, drawing on extensive knowledge of business development.
Academic Board
DHE’s Board of Directors is responsible for the corporate governance of DHE. The Board of Directors delegates academic governance to the Academic Board.
The Academic Board is responsible for the academic governance of DHE’s higher education operations, determines academic policy and has responsibility for the achievement of educational objectives of DHE’s higher education courses. This includes academic policy making, academic administration and oversight of the educational process including the review, approving development and implementation of courses. The Academic Board is responsible for the maintenance and moderation of academic quality standards.
Members of the Academic Board
Professor John Hall (Chair)
Prof Hall is an esteemed academic with previous experience from the Department of Marketing in Deakin Business School. Prof Hall’s research, teaching and publication areas are marketing related, including research methodology and analysis, international marketing, non-profit and social marketing, branding, tourism and hospitality marketing, marketing education and consumer behaviour, which have resulted in obtaining two ARC grants and numerous A-level publications. He enjoys teaching students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as supervising postgraduate and research students. He also has experience in leadership and management, including being a Head of Department and Dean.
Professor Alexis Esposto (Dean)
Professor Esposto is the founding Dean at Danford Higher Education having led the establishment of the Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and Bachelor of Business (Digital Marketing). Professor Esposto is a highly influential economist and linguist with expertise in economic development, labour economics, crypto currencies, government policy consulting and international engagement. Alexis has more than 2 decades of experience in high impact academic research and consulting, with his work focusing on Australia, Asia and Latin America. He taught and researched economics and finance at Swinburne University of Technology and provided advice to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in business development matters in Australia and towards Latin America. He also has extensive work experience in Asia, including China, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. He is currently investigating ways of promoting trade engagement between China and Latin America. Professor Esposto has over 70 publications including books, book chapters, and highly ranked refereed journals. Alexis is fluent in 5 European languages.
Dr Steve Bakalis
Dr Bakalis completed his doctoral studies at La Trobe University in the area of computable general equilibrium modelling. He has held academic appointments with La Trobe University, University of Melbourne, and Victoria University. His professional and research background includes the role of international business and diaspora entrepreneurship/networks, internationalisation of higher education, and transnational management. He has also engaged with the development and management of transnational education ventures and projects, especially in the Asia Pacific region in Malaysia, China, and Thailand. He worked for the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman and led the establishment of a School of International Business as the inaugural Dean, including the development of international linkages and partnerships. He has held adjunct appointments with the Australian National University, University of Adelaide, and is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at The Central University of Finance and Economics (Beijing-China).
Dr David Walker
David Walker joined the La Trobe School of Business in July 2003. Prior to this, he worked as an economist for the Victorian Government at the Department of Infrastructure and at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics in Canberra. David’s research interests are in forest, agricultural and resource economics and in the economics of climate change. His PhD focused on the potential for forest-based carbon sequestration to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in New South Wales, Australia. This involved the development of a mathematical programming model of the forest sector. David is also dedicated to teaching and learning and has received a number of awards including the Executive Dean’s Teaching Award in June 2014, and the Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Award in 2017. He is involved in a project to improve student learning in the for first year economics curriculum. David is also leading a project with the Victorian Commercial Teachers Association to review the year levels 7 to 10 teaching of Economics and Business in Victorian Secondary Schools. He is currently the Director of Learning and Teaching for the La Trobe Business School.
