Brian Hansen, Director and President of the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC), is pleased to announce the organisation’s first Honourary Member, Dr Sophie Galaise, and welcomes her to the CACC’s Melbourne Committee.
“Dr Galaise is an internationally recognised leader in the Arts who we are fortunate to have contributing to the leadership of our country’s cultural community,” said Mr Hansen. “I am particularly thrilled that Dr Galaise will also be contributing to the CACC’s Melbourne Committee as an Honourary Member.”
Dr Galaise joined the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as its first female director in April 2016. In 2015, Dr Galaise was a winner in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence, in the category of Culture.
“As an Honourary Member of the CACC, I look forward to supporting the organisation in representing Australian interests in Canada, and likewise, representing Canadian interests here in Australia, especially the cultural aspects of these two countries from my new home, Melbourne, one of the world’s most livable, most cultural cities,” Dr Galaise said.
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Dr Galaise started her career as a flautist. As a professional musician, Dr Galaise played with the German Orchestra in Bremen and in time worked as a Musicologist in Basel, Switzerland before moving on to Paris.
Following her success as a Coordinator of Music for the Quebec Arts Council and completing her PhD in Musicology (University of Montreal) and an Executive MBA (McGill University/HEC Montreal), Dr Galaise was appointed Executive and Artistic Director of the Orford Arts Centre (Orford, Canada). In time, Dr Galaise was appointed Executive Director of the Quebec Symphony Orchestrea before being appointed in 2013 as Chief Executive Director of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
“The Melbourne Committee welcomes the involvement of our first Honourary Member, Dr Sophie Galaise whose renowned, extensive experience is a beautiful balance of art and economics,” said Lesley Gillespie, OAM, Chair of the CACC’s Melbourne Committee.
“Honourary Member Dr Galaise is an extraordinary business woman with international expertise and I am so appreciative of her involvement in our Melbourne Committee,” said Mrs Gillespie.
Dr Galaise also sits on the board of Symphony Services International and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Harvard Business Review, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and The CEO Institute.
