Board Member Q&A – Julie Boyd
As part of our regular series where we introduce the AIM Group Board, we recently sat down for a chat with Julie Boyd FAIM to hear how she got involved with AIM and what role she believes AIM Membership can play in the careers of Australia's managers and leaders.
Julie Boyd was elected as the first female Mayor of the City of Mackay and retained that role for 11 years from 1997 to 2008. Julie was involved in Local Government for 16 years during which time Mackay was one of the fastest growing cities in Australia. Julie oversaw a number of large infrastructure and lifestyle projects that were instrumental in improving the quality of life for the city’s residents.
Julie originally trained as a Registered Nurse having completed her studies in Brisbane at the Mater Hospital and undertook Midwifery studies in Scotland. She studied Politics, South East Asian Religions and History at the University of Queensland. From 2008 to 2010 Julie represented the Queensland Government as the Special Trade Representative to Japan, Republic of Korea and the Philippines and was then appointed as the Trade Representative for Queensland to Africa until 2012.
Julie sits on a number of Boards both in Brisbane and Mackay and undertakes consultancy work in the area of Corporate Governance. Julie is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Tell us about yourself and how you became involved with AIM?
I spent 11 years as the Mayor of Mackay City Council and during this period when we were looking at training and development for our staff, The Australian Institute of Management provided some wonderful courses that allowed our staff to get some new qualifications and expertise.
Once I left local government, I became involved with the regional committee in Mackay and after a short period of time became the Chair of that committee. Following numerous meetings with the AIM Board they asked if I would be interested in filling a vacancy as there was and continues to be a strong interest in developing a presence in regional Queensland. That’s the view that I bring to the table which is about developing the managerial capabilities in regional Queensland by making sure that managers in the regions have access to the information and advocacy they need.
Why do you believe professional memberships are important for managers and leaders?
I think it’s important to have an organisation that you can belong to that will provide you with current leadership thinking as well as career advice. Access to resources such as research, books and journals on management is also very important.
We’re a great conduit for managers, especially those in regional areas as they can be quite isolated and it’s important for them to have access to guest speakers and the latest learnings in the current context on management thinking. It’s also a great way to network as you’re provided with plenty of opportunities to meet people and grow your contacts within other companies and business.
What is the key benefit that AIM offers to its Members?
I think one of the benefits that often goes unnoticed is the access to Harvard Business Review. Being able to access that research and thought leadership is a great resource for Members.
The ability that Members have to talk to the Australian Institute of Management about particular issues is important as AIM is looking to grow its role in the advocacy space and be the voice for managers on policy and legislation.
Which Membership initiatives are you most enthusiastic about?
Having quality guest speakers that come and present in regional centres who bring a great deal of knowledge and expertise that regional managers don't always have access to. The opportunity for Members to come and meet those guest speakers, ask questions and learn is really important so I’d say that’s what I’m most enthusiastic about.