Vision Super appoints first female chair

Sustainable-focused industry super fund Vision Super has appointed deputy chair Lisa Darmanin, as new chair, the first woman to take the role for the fund.

Darmanin had been a director for Vision Super since March 2018 as a member representative nominated by the Australian Services Union – Victorian and Tasmanian Authorities and Services Branch (ASU).

Prior to her role with Vision Super, she was previously a trustee director of HESTA from 2013 to 2017.

Darmanin’s association with the ASU began as a member and active workplace delegate, from Berry Street Victoria in 1997 and became branch secretary in June 2018, and their first female branch executive president elected in 2014.

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She was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll for Women in 2016 and was the inaugural winner of the Zelda D’Aprano Activist Award by Victorian Trades Hall Council in 2015 as most outstanding female activist for her work in the community services equal pay case and leadership in delivering world-first family violence workplace entitlements.

Darmanin had also spent time seconded to various roles including in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, worked on Victorian Government initiatives in gender equality and family violence prevention, and Victorian Trades Hall Council where she coordinated the Your Rights at Work campaign in Victoria in 2006.

Geoff Lake, outgoing chair, had completed his three-year term at the end of the financial year and praised the appointment of Darmanin.

“Lisa could not be more passionate and committed to serving Vision Super’s members,” Darmanin said.

“She brings a wealth of leadership experience to the role, and I look forward to seeing Vision Super continuing to achieve great things under her direction.

“It was a great privilege to serve as the chair of a fund that truly puts the best interests of members at the centre of all we do.

“Lisa has been a great support to me as chair, the board unanimously endorsed her taking over as chair – and it is very reassuring to be able to finish my term knowing that the leadership of the board is in very capable hands.”

Darmanin said she was proud to be appointed Vision Super’s first female chair.

“My career has been focused on supporting workers, and particularly women, when it comes to their workplace rights,” Darmanin said.

“Vision Super has a long history as a fund that also supports workers, through their working lives as they save for retirement to achieve the best possible outcomes – and the majority of those members are women.

“I could not be more delighted to be leading a fund that shares my commitment to improving outcomes for working women and men – I know everyone on the board, the executive team and our very capable staff shares that passion and commitment.”