About World Expo '88 - Critical Staff of World Expo '88

Photographer Russell Stokes, Format Photographics

THE WORLD EXPO '88 AUTHORITY

The World Expo 88 Authority was the co-ordinating executive for the Exposition.

Operating under the direction of the Chairman and the General Manager, there were eight staff divisions, each headed by a director with extensive experience in the field, overseeing directly some 1,300 Authority staff.

A total of more than 30, 000 persons were accredited for work at the Expo during the Exposition.

CHAIRMAN - The Hon. Sir Llewellyn Edwards, AC

Sir Llewellyn Edwards was appointed Chairman of the authority in February 1984.

Previously he held the Queensland Parliamentary seat of Ipswich for the Liberal Party from 1972 to 1983. He served as State Health Minister, and later as Deputy Premier and Treasurer.

Sir Llewellyn has a wide variety of qualifications, in electrical engineering, and in medicine and surgery. In the 1984 New Year's Honours List, he was awarded a Knight Bachelor, for services to Queensland as a Minister and MP.

GENERAL MANAGER - Bob Minnikin

Bob Minnikin was appointed General Manager in March 1984, but his consultancy work began in January 1983.

Minnikin's engineering background has taken him into varying fields of business, including construction and project management.

For three years he served as Deputy General Manager of the XII Commonwealth Games Foundation and was awarded an MBE in January 1983 for his service to the Commonwealth Games project.

DIRECTOR - COMMUNICATIONS Jane Brumfield (now Lady Jane Edwards)

Jane Brumfield was appointed in June 1987. She first joined the Expo authority in January 1985 as Public Relations Manager, and was appointed Deputy Director of the newly created Communications Division in March 1986.

Brumfield previously worked for both the print and electronic media, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Canberra and Brisbane, and The Australian newspaper in the Canberra Press Gallery.

The division was responsible for creating national and international awareness of Expo through the media, special events and community programs.

DIRECTOR - ENTERTAINMENT Ric Birch

Ric Birch was appointed in January 1985 after extensive experience in the production of major celebrations, and a long association with film, television and entertainment.

He was the Production Director of the opening and closing ceremonies at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and at the XII Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982.

Birch's company, SPECTAK, was formed after the Olympics to provide production expertise for major celebrations. The division created the dazzling and diverse program of daily entertainment at the Expo.

DIRECTOR - FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Tony Phillips

Tony Phillips has brought his broad knowledge of corporate treasury, finance, accounting and planning to Expo. He was appointed in October 1984.

He previously held various treasury and financial planning positions with corporations in New Zealand, Canada and England, including that of chief accountant for Fletcher Challenge Ltd.

He also has a background in computers. His division was responsible for head office administration, financial accounting, land acquisition, financial planning and funding.

DIRECTOR - INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION Richard John

Richard John joined the World Expo 88 Authority after a 3 year posting in Athens with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs.

Appointed in March 1987, he had served as Deputy Director since June 1986. Before joining Foreign Affairs in Canberra, John worked in tertiary textbook publishing, and as a primary school teacher in England and a secondary school teacher in Australia.

The division was responsible for recruiting, securing and supporting the participation of the international governments in Expo.

DIRECTOR - MARKETING Graham Currie

Graham Currie and his division attracted and coordinated Expo's substantial corporate sector investment. He was appointed Director in September 1985 with extensive marketing credentials.

His previous position was as Marketing Consultant and Accounts Director of the advertising firm USP Needham. He has won two marketing awards — the International Sports Marketing Award in 1985, and Advertising Man of the Year in 1983 — and two merchandising awards.

DIRECTOR - OPERATIONS Ross Given

Ross Given was a practising solicitor in Brisbane before his appointment in May 1985.

Given was involved in general practice in his own firm, including property development work.

He oversaw the day-to-day running of Expo and was responsible for security, staffing, visitor and VIP facilities on site.

DIRECTOR - SITE DEVELOPMENT Peter Goldston

Peter Goldston, a civil engineer with extensive site management experience, was appointed in July 1985.

Before joining Expo he coordinated the construction of the Wivenhoe Dam project in Queensland, and has also worked on major projects in Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

Goldston is responsible for the financial and quality control of the development of the Expo site. He also has advised on the use of the site and its buildings after Expo.

DIRECTOR - TECHNOLOGY Ken Pope

Ken Pope's career in computers has spanned more than 30 years. He joined Expo as a consultant in November 1985.

Pope's achievements include the direction of the design and installation of the Queensland Computer Centre. Before joining Expo he was Public Service Commissioner for the Northern Territory.

At Expo his role was twofold — advising participants and the authority on ways to use technology to interpret the theme, and on computer use in administration and on site.

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