The Australian Maths Trust Trustee Ltd (AMTT Ltd) Board announced today (Friday 6 December 2024) the departure of two of its leaders, Nathan Ford, Chief Executive Officer, and Belinda Robinson, Chair of the AMTT Ltd Board.
Nathan has decided to step down as CEO of the Australian Maths Trust (AMT), having led it since 2017. In Nathan’s time as CEO, he has transformed the organisation and expanded the range of mathematical enrichment experiences for Australian students in pursuit of AMT’s mission to develop a nation of creative problem solvers.
Amongst his many achievements during his tenure, highlights include:
- The accelerated development of Problemo, the online maths problem-solving platform, to directly support teachers through the challenges of COVID-19
- The growth of opportunities for girls in maths and informatics at the elite level with the commencement of participation in the European Girls’ Mathematics Olympiad from 2018 and the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics from 2024
- Australian delivery of the Kangourou sans Frontières, the Oxford University Computing Challenge and the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge
- Securing the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) in Australia in 2025 along with significant national and international sponsorship
- Prioritising the engagement of accessible opportunities for maths competitions and programs to reach regional and remote communities
- Systematically and comprehensively modernising AMT systems, risk management processes and IT infrastructure
- Creating a strong and sustainable organisation that actively engages with students and teachers across Australia and attracts government, industry and corporate support across the nation and internationally.
The AMTT Ltd Board and the wider AMT team wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the significant commitment and expert leadership displayed by Nathan during his tenure at the AMT. Under Nathan’s leadership, the AMT is in good financial health and leaves an experienced executive team as he steps down. The organisation is well positioned to deliver the world’s most prestigious mathematics event, the IMO at the Sunshine Coast, QLD, in July 2025.
We deeply appreciate the service he has rendered and thank him for his dedication to furthering the causes of the Australian maths community. We also extend this appreciation to the effort Nathan is dedicating to ensuring a smooth transition and the continued wellbeing of the organisation.
David Williams, director of AMTT Ltd and Chair of the Finance and Risk Management Committee, will be appointed to the role of acting interim CEO and provide operational leadership to the organisation during the transition process to recruit the AMT’s next CEO.
Belinda Robinson, Board Chair of AMT has used this organisational juncture to evaluate her involvement with the organisation and has made the difficult decision to step off the board.
Her decision was made due to a range of personal, family and other matters that meant she is unable to continue with the AMT at this time.
Belinda has chaired the AMTT Ltd Board since July 2022. Her leadership provided skilled guidance and engagement through the post-pandemic reset with teaching and learning facing some of its greatest resourcing and structural shifts ever experienced. Since her appointment, she worked closely with board members and the CEO to shepherd in the organisational changes and improvements in governance.
The AMTT Ltd Board has elected long-serving board member Dr Geoff Shuetrim as its Chair. Geoff joined the AMTT Ltd Board in December 2017. He participates on the AMT’s Finance and Risk Management Committee, and is Chair of the Business Development Committee.
Professor Mark Lawrence remains as Deputy Chair of the Board. Mark is a senior, respected mathematician with extensive international industry experience in financial services over many decades; he joined the Board in September 2024.
As Chair of the AMTT Ltd Board, Geoff will work with his fellow directors and the AMT executive team to ensure an effective leadership transition to a new CEO as we continue our journey into 2025 and beyond.
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For any further information relating to this statement please contact David Williams at info@amt.edu.au or +61 2 6201 5136.