School Council

Providing strategy and governance to foster educational excellence and a caring Christian culture at BBC.

Presbyterian & Methodist Schools Association

Brisbane Boys’ College is one of four outstanding schools owned by the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA) along with our sibling schools Clayfield College, Somerville House and Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

Established in 1918, the PMSA is a joint mission of the Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod and the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

The PMSA Group is governed by a Board of Directors which comprises up to 13 Board members. To assist the PMSA Board provide quality education services to achieve the PMSA vision, mission and values, four PMSA Board committees provide specialist advice.

School Council

The Brisbane Boys’ College School Council is delegated the responsibility to govern and administer the performance of the school.

Each PMSA school is governed by a School Council which consists of up to nine members. Each School Council is a committee of the PMSA Board and includes the school’s Headmaster as a non-voting member, up to two PMSA Board members, and up to six independent School Council members appointed from the school’s community. The PMSA Board delegates the responsibility for governance oversight, administration and performance to these School Councils. Headmasters report to these School Councils and have operational responsibility for the schools.

Each School Council’s Charter outlines the School Council’s objectives, responsibilities, and governance framework as well as their relationship to the PMSA Group.

Meet our BBC Council Chair, Don O'Rorke

Read more about the PMSA

Mr Don O’Rorke

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Mrs Sarah Cox

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Mr Vaughan Henry

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Mr Paul Martin

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Mr Hamish Turner OAM

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Mr Damon Emtage

Head of Senior School and Student Wellbeing (P-12)

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Mr Andre Casson

Headmaster

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Mr Don O'Rorke

Mr Don O'Rorke

Don O’Rorke is a leading Queensland property developer and investor, and as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Consolidated Properties Group, has successfully shaped the business over the past three decades.

Committed to giving back to the communities he helps develop, Don values and supports philanthropic initiatives that benefit the community.

Don has extensive experience serving on several boards in commercial, not-for-profit and industry organisations, including Surfing Australia, Reserve Banks small business Finance Advisory Panel and is the current Chairman of BBC Foundation Limited.

Don is a proud BBC Old Boy (OC 1977), past boarder and current parent with five sons at the College. As the BBC Council Chair, Don is excited to share his vision for BBC and support the ongoing success of the school.

Key current non-executive directorships includes:

  • Chair, Brisbane Boys’ College Council
  • Surfing Australia, as member of the Financial Audit and Risk Committee (since 2015)
  • Reserve Bank’s Small Business Finance Advisory Panel
  • Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board
  • Chairman of BBC (Brisbane Boys College) Foundation Limited.

Mrs Sarah Cox

Mrs Sarah Cox

Sarah Cox is a leading agribusiness proprietor and communications professional with more than 25 years’ experience.

Sarah’s career spans rural journalism, public relations and agribusiness management. Particularly in governance, Sarah is an expert in financial management, marketing and development of business strategy.

Sarah is currently the Director of Cracow Station Pty Ltd, which has been in her family for over 100 years, and is also a Director of Theodore Water Pty Ltd.

A passionate supporter of a range of professional and charitable organisations, Sarah is serving as the President of Dawson Valley ICPA Branch. The ICPA is a voluntary, non-profit, apolitical parent body dedicated to ensuring that all geographically isolated children’s educational needs and aspirations are met, and that children are not disadvantaged due to geographical circumstance.

Sarah is a strong advocate for rural and regional Australia and has in-depth understanding of the issues faced by those living and working remotely, along with the challenges faced by boarding families.

Sarah is currently on the BBC Boarder Support Group Committee and both the PMSA and Brisbane Boys’ College believe her representative for regional Queensland on the BBC School Council will make a valuable contribution.

Mr Vaughan Henry

Mr Vaughan Henry

DFP

Vaughan Henry has more than 35 years’ experience in financial services having held senior advisory and distribution positions within both local and international institutions including HSBC, Qld Treasury, GoldmanSachs, JBWere and Certitude Global.

After many years in these roles, Vaughan has recently established Vario Capital with a vision of providing advisors, high net worth investors and family offices in Australia and overseas with access to innovative ideas and assets in private markets that are not typically available.

Key current and previous appointments include:

  • Member – Brisbane Boys’ College Council (appointed 2016)
  • Founder – Vario Capital

Mr Paul Martin

Mr Paul Martin

MAICD, MACS, MAPM

Paul Martin is a highly experienced business and technology professional with more than 30 years’ experience across many industries. He specialises in successfully delivering strategic and transformational change. A natural leader, Paul thrives on the challenges and pressures of a complex environment. He brings his project management, digital transformation, strategic thinking, stakeholder relationship management, budget management, third party vendor management, procurement and risk management skills to the Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC) Council.

In addition to his business and technology skills, Paul is an accomplished Company Director. He is a passionate supporter of BBC and an advocate for creating the best environment for students to thrive in and be safe. A current BBC parent and member of the Parents & Friends’ Association since 2015, Paul has a strong desire to give back to the College community.

Key current and previous appointments, roles and awards include:

  • Member – Brisbane Boys’ College Council (appointed 2020, current term until 2023)
  • President – Brisbane Boys’ College Parents & Friends’ Association
  • Member – Australian Institute of Company Directors
  • Member – Australian Computer Society
  • Company Director & Principal Consultant – pmsolutions360 Pty Ltd

Mr Hamish Turner OAM

Mr Hamish Turner OAM

Hamish Turner OAM is an experienced and visionary business professional with more than 30 years’ experience in retail, tourism, brand marketing, and agriculture. He is highly skilled in developing entrepreneurial strategy and operational delivery.

Hamish has worked as a public and private company CEO and has held Chairman and multiple company director roles over many years. He has been actively involved in the Australian tourism industry for more than 25 years including a role as a key advisor for the delivery of venues and operations for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

A BBC Old Collegian, Hamish has a strong desire to give back to the school that gave him such a solid start to his professional life. He has a strong knowledge of the private education sector in both Brisbane and Sydney.

Key current and previous appointments, roles and awards include:

  • Member – Brisbane Boys’ College Council (appointed 2020)
  • Managing Director – Birrung Pty Ltd – TNR Advisory
  • Chairman – Wyaga Investments Pty Ltd
  • Director – BrandUp Ltd
  • Director – MJ Bale
  • Director – QUT Creative Enterprise Australia Pty Ltd
  • Director – Australian Diamond Consortium Pty Ltd
  • Previous director – L Capital Asia – LVMH
  • Former CEO and Managing Director – RM Williams Holdings Pty Ltd
  • Former member – Olympic Co-Ordination Authority (OCA) Boards, Sydney Olympic Games
  • Order of Australia (2015) for services to tourism, business, agriculture and charitable organisations

Mr Damon Emtage

Head of Senior School and Student Wellbeing (P-12)

Mr Damon Emtage

Head of Senior School and Student Wellbeing (P-12)

BEd (GU), MEd (QUT)

Damon joined Brisbane Boys’ College in January 2018 from Wesley College in Melbourne where he was the Head of Senior School and Director of Learning in Residence.  Prior to that he was the Head of Residence at Brisbane Grammar School, Head of HPE at Forest Lake College, and classroom PE teacher at Auckland Grammar School and St Laurence’s College.

As the Deputy Headmaster – Head of Senior School (Yrs 10-12) and Student Wellbeing, Damon is responsible for optimising student engagement and wellbeing to support and enable boys to achieve, grow and thrive at each stage in their development. Damon has particular knowledge and experience in the implementation of best practice approaches to wellbeing particular to boys. He privileges a moral responsibility to prepare boys to be contributing citizens in life beyond school. Damon has additional responsibilities for boarding, the Indigenous program, health centre, risk management and policy development, contemporary responses to Child Safe Standards, and the implementation of high expectations for all students and staff.

Mr Andre Casson

Headmaster

Mr Andre Casson

Headmaster

Mr Andre Casson joined BBC as the College’s 10th Headmaster in 2022. Prior to his appointment at Brisbane Boys’ College, Mr Casson was the Head of the Australian International School (AIS) in Singapore, where he oversaw the strategic direction and growth of this high-performing institution. Responsible for the care of infants through to students completing Year 12, AIS adopts the Australian Curriculum as the basis for the primary years, with senior programs integrating with the NSW Higher School Certificate, or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

Andre graduated from the General Management Program, Harvard Business School, he has a Diploma in Education from The University of Notre Dame Australia and a Bachelor of Science, from The University of Western Australia. Mr Casson boasts previous experience in the Brisbane GPS school environment, being a former Deputy Head of Senior School at Churchie prior to relocating to Singapore.

We are pleased to welcome Andre and his family into our BBC community for the 2022 academic year and are excited to share in his vision for the future of the College.

Read more about BBC’s 10th Headmaster – Mr Andre Casson