Philanthropic role for Fitzgerald

Professor John Fitzgerald has been appointed as the Truby and Florence Williams Charitable Trust chair of social investment and philanthropy within Swinburne University’s Asia Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy. The trust, managed by ANZ Trustees, focuses on encouraging social investment and philanthropy. Head of philanthropy at ANZ Trustees Teresa Zolnierkiewicz said the creation of the chair was a positive development for philanthropy in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to his appointment, Fitzgerald headed the Ford Foundation in Beijing, where he developed the overall strategy and direction of the foundation’s work in China. Before that, he was head of the school of social sciences at La Trobe, and director of the International Centre of Excellence in Asia-Pacific Studies at ANU. He also served as a member of the Australia-China Council of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and as chair of the research infrastructure and equipment committee of the Australian Research Council.