Sligar appointed first Ndarala Fellow

Ndarala Group Media Release: 28 June 2006

The Ndarala Group has appointed Dennis Sligar as its first Fellow.

Announcing the appointment, Ndarala Group CEO Jim Belshaw said the Group had introduced Fellowship as a way of recognising Group professionals who had made a major contribution to industry, professional or community development while also contributing to the Group and its members.

"Dennis Sligar is an outstanding recipient of this first award", Mr Belshaw said, "because he has made a major contribution across a number of dimensions".   

Mr Sligar joined the Australian Commonwealth Public Service in 1966 as an Administrative Trainee, a special year long training program intended to train future Public Service leaders. At the end of his training year he was promoted to the Tarrif Board before rejoining the Public Service Board in 1968. In 1969 he took responsibility for the management of the Administrative Trainee Program itself.

In 1972 Mr Sligar was promoted to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. After a three year period as Senior Private Secretary to Kim Beazley Snr (1973-1975), the Australian Minister for Education, Mr Sligar rejoined the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1976 as Senior Adviser. In this role he provide advice to the Prime Minister on policy areas including resources and energy, government machinery and administration and migrant programs and services.

From 1980 to 1982 Mr Sligar was Senior Adviser, Cabinet Office. Here he attended Cabinet and Committee meetings, recorded decisions and guided follow up implementation by departments, while also providing advice on Cabinet systems and records.

Between 1983 and 1996 Mr Sligar worked as a second division officer in the Departments of Science and Technology, Industry, Technology and Commerce and Industry, Science and Tourism in a variety of roles including Executive Director, Management and Investment Companies Licensing Board and Branch Manager, NSW.

"As Executive Director, Managing and Investment Companies Licensing Board," Mr Belshaw said, "Mr Sligar played a major role in the early creation of a venture capital marketplace in Australia."

In 1997 Mr Sligar left the Commonwealth Public Service to found his own consulting practice, joining Ndarala in the same year. He quickly assumed an active role in the Group, holding the position of management committee member over 1999 and 2000.

Mr Sligar's consulting work led to him being offered and accepting the position of Director Educationa and Training with the Royal Australian (now Australian and New Zealand) College of Ophthalmologists in 1999, a position he still holds.

In this role he has played a major role in reshaping the training of ophthalmic specialists in Australia and New Zealand, as well as contributing more broadly to the training of medical specialists. In recognition of his contribution, he was appointed as the only non-doctor to the Medical Training and Education Council of NSW, and remains a committee member of its successor organisation, the NSW Institute of Medical Education and Training.

"Despite all the pressures on him", Mr Belshaw said, "Mr Sligar has retained his interest in Ndarala, always willing to provide advice and support to our member professionals."

"We believe that he is a very worthy recipient of our initial Fellowship award."

Ends

For more information contact jim.belshaw@ndarala.com.