The Menzies Leadership Foundation is proud to announce that Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, has accepted an invitation to serve as the Foundation’s official Patron.
This esteemed patronage represents a significant milestone in the Foundation’s enduring commitment to cultivating outstanding leadership for the greater good. Her Excellency’s principled leadership, integrity, and dedication to civic responsibility strongly align with the Foundation’s mission to grow a leadership movement grounded in purpose, shared responsibility and community impact.
“Leadership grounded in purpose care, kindness, respect and service to others is a vital part of for building a stronger, more inclusive Australia,” said Her Excellency the Governor-General. “As Patron of the Menzies Leadership Foundation, I am looking forward to working with the team and scholars as they work in its mission to elevate and inspire those who lead with courage, conviction, and compassion and conviction for others.”
CEO Elizabeth Gillies welcomed the patronage, noting: “We are deeply honoured by Her Excellency the Governor-General’s endorsement patronage. It reflects a shared commitment to empowering individuals, communities and systems to flourish in the face of complexity. This partnership affirms the importance of leadership that serves not only outcomes, but people and principles.”
With a legacy spanning more than four decades, the Menzies Leadership Foundation continues to amplify a global leadership movement by building leadership capacity across sectors. Its strategic approach is anchored in three interrelated work streams: innovation, which catalyses partnerships to scale leadership capability; sense-making, which synthesises the evidence base on outstanding leadership; and advancement, which elevates the public narrative on what leadership means in today’s world.
These efforts are directed towards four priority cohorts whose leadership is critical to Australia’s future. The Foundation works with citizen leaders to strengthen community resilience through systemic approaches; with emerging leaders to nurture youth development and ethical decision-making; with women leaders, particularly Indigenous women, who are advancing economic independence through entrepreneurship; and with school leaders who are transforming education outcomes by building collaborative, future-focused leadership in schools.
The Foundation sees leadership not as a title or position, but as a collective practice—one that enables people and systems to adapt, collaborate and thrive amidst uncertainty and complexity.
To learn more about the Foundation and its work, visit www.menziesfoundation.org.au.
What does it mean to lead with courage, conviction, and care — especially now?
At the Menzies Leadership Foundation, we believe leadership is not defined by power, but by purpose. It is grounded in care. Practised with integrity. And amplified through community.
The appointment of Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC as Patron is a powerful affirmation of this vision. Her leadership — principled, inclusive, and future-facing — reflects the kind of values-led practice we seek to grow across Australia and beyond.
From citizen leaders building community resilience, to women forging pathways of economic independence, to school leaders reimagining education — our work supports those who understand that meaningful leadership is a collective act.
If you’re ready to explore what leadership looks like in your context — and to grow it with clarity, evidence and purpose — we invite you to join our community.
