Rest Board to farewell two Directors

The Board of Rest, one of Australia's largest superannuation funds, is farewelling two of its Directors who are set to embark on new chapters in their careers.

Sally Evans, a Rest Director since May 2018, is a highly respected Director and leader. She will depart the Board to concentrate her professional focus on improving products and services for older Australians and the senior community. Ms Evans, an employer-nominated Rest Director, holds a number of other Directorships in the retirement, aged care and life insurance sectors. She will finish at Rest on 31 July 2024, said Rest Chair James Merlino.

"Sally's decision, while bittersweet for us, reflects her unwavering commitment to improving the wellbeing of Australians in retirement," Mr Merlino said. “We wish Sally well as she dedicates herself fully to the next stage of her career with the goal of making a positive impact on the lives of older Australians.”

Separately, Julia Fox, a Rest Director since January 2018, has been appointed as a Commissioner of the Fair Work Commission. Ms Fox, a Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA)-nominated Rest Director, will leave on 26 May 2024 to take up her new position on 27 May 2024, said Mr Merlino.

"We're incredibly proud of Julia's appointment, which is a testament to her expertise and the high regard in which she is held across the industry and more widely," said Mr Merlino. “Julia’s deep understanding of the experience of working people and the systems and policy settings that support their dignified retirement has been hugely significant for Rest.

"Julia and Sally's leadership has been instrumental in shaping Rest into the mature super fund it is today,” Mr Merlino said. “On behalf of our 2 million members and the entire Rest team, I’d like to recognise and thank both Julia and Sally for their years of exceptional service.”

The Board departures are part of the natural progression of a stable and well managed Board committed to ongoing succession planning and ensuring a diverse range of skills to best serve members’ interests, said Mr Merlino.

In line with our Director recruitment and nomination process, the search has now commenced for two new Directors to join the Board, with a strategic focus on maintaining Rest’s robust governance and effective leadership.