Board of Directors

Craig Bingham

Craig Bingham has a long cycling history as a passionate rider, supporter and investor, including the 2017 Bennelong SwissWellness cycling team sponsorship.

Craig is the global CEO of the BFM Group, which operates as Bennelong Funds Management in Australia and BennBridge in the UK and US. He is a highly regarded financial services executive with extensive experience in Australian and international markets.

Since joining in October 2014, Craig has fast-tracked the Group’s growth, expanding the Australian-domiciled offering from four to six boutique asset teams. In addition, Craig’s entrepreneurial drive led to the Group’s global expansion, building on the Australian business to establish Bennelong’s offshore arm BennBridge in the UK and US. This has included partnering with a further four boutiques in the UK, with plans for future growth.

A strong advocate of creating an enviable corporate culture, Craig has ensured the global ethos is one of high performance, while retaining a focus on mutual respect, open communication and continuous curiosity.

Craig was previously the CEO of Federated Investors Asia Pacific. Prior to that, he was CEO at Portfolio Partners (which later became Aviva Investors Asia Pacific) where he was responsible for establishing and developing licensed asset management businesses in Australia, Singapore and China, and expanding a presence in Asia and the Middle East.

Craig is also a Non-Executive Director of the philanthropic Bennelong Foundation and the Australian Cricketers Retirement Account.

Lee Brentzell

Lee is an experienced Non-Executive Board member and independent advisor to Boards and Steering Committees drawing on 20+ years of professional experience where she leads the planning and delivering of large-scale and complex capital projects that transform organisations and deliver long term commercial value to shareholders and communities. A key element of these projects is the establishment of contemporary governance frameworks that guide decision making, ensure accountability and manage risks to achieve organisational objectives. Lee designs, implements and operates within these fit-for-purpose governance arrangements and has provided independent advice to MIT and QUT Entrepreneurs Committee, Brisbane2032 Games Infrastructure Delivery Authority, Queensland Government and Commonwealth Games Australia on governance related matters.

Lee brings a unique and valuable combination of technical expertise, corporate governance, and change management qualifications to her professional and volunteer work. Her varied skills set extends to strategic planning, governance, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and project and change management. As a passionate and competitive mountain biker she utilised her corporate knowledge and leadership skills to chair Mountain Bike Australia where she was involved in the creation of AusCycling and now serves as a Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of the Board. She was on the Finance, Audit and Risk Board Sub-Committee for both Mountain Bike Australia and AusCycling and is now on AusCycling’s Nominations Sub-Committee.

Brian Gallagher

Non-Executive Director, Experienced Media Executive, Consultant and Advisor

Brian is a strategically focused and frequently disruptive C-Suite executive with over 30 years’ experience leading broadcast, production and digital media companies to growth through innovation. He has honed the discipline of harnessing research and insight to inform commercial strategy and creative execution.

Currently, Brian is Chair of Boomtown, the regional media industries trade marketing body, charged with ensuring the continued investment in regional media advertising and a major shareholder and director of a video production company, Context Media. Context produces main stream television content and has been successful in distributing original TV shows globally.

Anne Gripper

Anne has enjoyed 25 years working in sport leadership roles. Most recently she was the Executive Director at the NSW Office of Sport and previously the Chief Executive Officer of Triathlon Australia for five years. Between 2006 and 2010 she worked for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as the Director of Anti- Doping. She is involved in the governance of cycling at the national level through AusCycling, at the continental level through the Oceania Cycling Confederation and at the international level as a member of the UCI Management Committee and Chair of the UCI Integrity Commission. 

Outside of sport, Anne is the Chair of the June Canavan Foundation, a Non-Executive Director of ACRE (the Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship) and is a Board member of the Pharmacy Council of NSW.  

Anne remains an active cyclist and triathlete, representing Australia at the Age Group Triathlon World Championships on three occasions.

Jenni McLeod

Jenni is a business owner and operator with a background in community and stakeholder engagement. With extensive experience in the development and delivery of strategic and operational outcomes, Jenni has led several ‘world first’ projects, unlocking potential within marginalised groups and elevating women in male led industries.

As a passionate mountain biker, Jenni has volunteered in club administration, events and trail building for over 20 years and has been on the Board of AusCycling since its formation in 2020.

Jenni brings 9 years’ experience as a Non-Executive Board Director and is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course. Jenni sits on AusCycling’s Finance Audit and Risk Board Sub-Committee and is co-Chair of AusCycling’s Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Group.

Rob Nelson

A former surf-ski and kayak paddler, Rob turned to cycling later in life and now actively competes in master's road events having qualified for UCI Grand Fondo World Championships whilst also enjoying hitting the MTB trails.  He brings over 25 years of executive and leadership experience predominantly in the sports, tourism and major events industries having held roles across surf lifesaving, rugby union and AFL and working on significant events including Sydney Olympic Games, Rugby World Cup and the Tour Down Under. He is currently a Senior Advisor to Trivandi, a leading consultancy firm specialising in major events, social infrastructure and sport.  Rob is a member of the Brisbane Cycling Club and Chair of AusCycling's National Advisory Council.

John Nicholson

John Nicholson is a former professional track cyclist who brings experience from high-performance cycling, sports administration, IT, accounting, and business.

During the 1970s, John won two world championships, two Commonwealth Games gold medals, and an Olympic Games silver medal in the individual sprint. He won the Oppy Award in 1975 and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986.

He has served as a director of Cycling Victoria and a long-time president of Blackburn Cycling Club, taking a particular interest in rider development. Nicholson remains a qualified coach and commissaire for road and track cycling.

A fluent Danish speaker, Nicholson holds a degree in business administration and computer science from Copenhagen Business School. His professional experience includes management of IT infrastructure services in the Asia Pacific region.

Michael Smith

Michael is the current Chair of 7-Eleven Stores PL and Starbucks Australia. He has previously chaired the West Coast Eagles, iiNet, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Perth International Arts Festival.  Michael is also the Principal of boutique strategic development consulting firm, Black House. Previously, he founded The Marketing Centre which provided strategic advice to many of Australia’s most iconic brands for more than three decades.  Michael has a long history in the development of effective strategies, managing performance and identifying critical success factors for outstanding executive team function.

Lisa Jacobs

Jacobs, a three-time cyclo-cross national champion, was also an elite road rider who competed in the Giro d’Italia and held scholarships at the Australian Institute of Sport, the South Australian Sports Institute, and the Victorian Institute of Sport.

Her business experience is significant, having spent 19 years as a commercial lawyer in multinational law firms and in listed and private corporations in Australia, the UK, and Europe.

She has also worked with boards as a non-executive director, designed and overseen governance frameworks, and held board and other senior roles in several cycling and other organisations.

Richie Bates

Richie Bates is a seasoned leader in regional development and community sport with over a decade of governance and public service experience. A former Cairns Regional Councillor and senior advisor at both state and shadow ministerial levels, Richie has championed grassroots sport, infrastructure investment, and inclusive community programs. With a lifelong passion for cycling, he is a national-level commissaire, coach, and former rider with an extensive racing career on track and road across multiple states and territories. Richie led Cairns Cycling Club to state recognition and significant growth, introducing pathways for juniors, women, and First Nations riders. Richie brings strategic insight, policy expertise, and a commitment to building sustainable, inclusive cycling communities across regional Australia.