DAVID TANNER, GAICD

Chairman of the Board: A.B. Paterson College

David Tanner joined the A.B. Paterson College Board in 2011 and became its third Chairman in 2013. A former parent of the College, David has a long-standing passion for education and a deep belief in the College’s vision to nurture well-rounded, confident, and capable young people.

With over three decades of leadership experience in the marine industry, both in Australia and internationally, David brings a strategic mindset, strong governance experience, and a commitment to collaboration. His career has been defined by building partnerships, driving innovation, and creating teams that deliver excellence - qualities he continues to bring to his role on the Board.

David is a firm believer in the power of education to shape not just academic success, but character, resilience, and leadership in young people. He is dedicated to ensuring that A.B. Paterson College continues to provide an environment where every student can thrive and contribute meaningfully to their community. A Gold Coast local since 1988, David married his wife, Vicki, on Hamilton Island in 1994. Together they have raised two children, both proud alumni of the College. David’s hope is that his contribution to the College’s governance will help strengthen its community, culture, and capacity to serve generations of students to come.

NICOLE KELLY

Deputy Chair of the Board: A.B. Paterson College
Chair:  Audit and Risk Committee

Nicole Kelly is an experienced CPA, business consultant and taxation specialist known for helping, educating and supporting clients as they develop strategic plans for the future. 

As an MBA, Nicole brings over 18 years of progressive leadership and change management experience across multiple industries, geographies and scale of businesses.  She possesses a unique blend of entrepreneurial spirit combined with a deep passion for both technology and business. Her skills set ranges from executive management, software development, product management, to sales and marketing. 

Her passion for innovative start-ups includes the whole spectrum from conceptualisation to capital raising, design, development and implementation. She champions small business and is dedicated to crafting culture and technology that enables scalability and sustainability.

Nicole considers diversity to be the pinnacle of success and embraces lifelong learning. She also holds a Diploma of Financial Planning, is a registered tax agent, licenced real estate agent and Toastmaster.  She has worked with numerous boards, serves on committees and is a graduate member of the AICD.  She has been a dedicated Board Member and parent of A.B. Paterson College since 2015 and Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee since 2018.  She is the founder and CEO of Gold Coast based Accounting firm ABA Tax and software development company Taxtank.

EDWARD J. KLIMOWICZ

Chair of the Foundation Board: A.B. Paterson College
Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Edward J. Klimowicz is a long-standing Member of the College Board, Chair of the A.B. Paterson College Foundation and past Board Chairman of the Early Childhood Centre. Mr Klimowicz has dedicated 22 years to the development of A.B. Paterson College as a Member of its various Boards, as a father, and as a grandfather.

Mr Klimowicz is the Founder and Managing Director of The Advanced Group. Since the company’s inception, he has applied over 30 years of business knowledge and experience in leading The Advanced Group to what it is today.

The E.J. Klimowicz Voice Excellence Scholarship is named in his honour as he has long-maintained an interest in the development of Music at the College and, in particular, that of Voice. Mr Klimowicz, a highly accomplished singer in his own right, is a member of internationally renowned Barbershop Quartet and the Gold Coast Blenders.

NATHAN ARCHER

Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Nathan Archer is an experienced corporate advisor and financial analyst having spent the last decade and a half consulting with businesses on corporate consolidations for public listings on a stock exchange, mergers and acquisitions/corporate restructure, business valuations, new market development, and strategic exit planning. He is a highly experienced capital markets advisor having traded professionally as a stockbroker and derivatives advisor for superannuation funds and high net worth clients.

Nathan holds a Master’s degree in both Finance and Accounting, Level 2 Authorised Derivatives Advisor certification and is an adjunct lecturer in Finance at Griffith University.  He is also on the board of a handful of charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Dr. CLAIRE BRERETON

Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Dr. Claire Brereton is an experienced executive, Chief Information Officer and consultant with a track record as a leader of strategic and technology change. Her experience has spanned health, state and local government, utilities, manufacturing and financial services. Much of her work has been in the health sector, developing strategies and running major implementation programs to support better health outcomes. She has run a successful consultancy business for over ten years, advising corporations and government on technology and data governance and risk. 

Dr. Claire Brereton is a chartered software engineer and, as an industry expert in IT standards, acts as a volunteer Australian representative to the International Standards Organisation. She also serves on the Queensland Government IT Advisory Panel and the Queensland Public Health Association of Australia Committee. 

Dr. Brereton recently qualified as a Master of Public Health and is currently utilising her unique blend of technology, data and population health skills on a children’s health research project. 

With family in both the UK and Australia, Dr. Brereton migrated from the UK in 2001, seeing Australia as the best country in the world to live, work, raise a family and contribute to the community.  

SEAN NICHOLLS

Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Sean Nicholls is a highly experienced engineer and senior project leader and has been delivering major infrastructure projects nationally and internationally for over 25 years. 

He has extensive experience working closely with clients and stakeholders at all levels to develop, understand and achieve their vision and goals. 

He is passionate about education and creating positive change through learning and experience. He has been a parent of A.B. Paterson since 2020. 

Sean has a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil/Structural) and a Masters in Business Administration.

RAMANATHAN KARUPPIAH

Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Ramanathan Karuppiah is a seasoned accountant and a specialist in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF). With an MBA in Leadership and Strategy from Deakin University, he brings over 20 years of experience working with banks, startups, fintech, regtech, and stored value facilities. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants (Australia) and the International Compliance Institute (UK), and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Ramanathan is also a certified auditor, a subject matter expert presenter, and an avid writer and researcher in Financial Crime Prevention. His commitment to continuous learning and professional development underscores his expertise and dedication to the field. Ramanathan played a key role in establishing the Centre of Excellence in Financial Crime Prevention at Griffith University. He currently serves as CEO and Director of Risk and Compliance for a principal program manager and innovation pioneer in crypto-based card issuance in Australia.

PROF. SHERIF MOHAMED

Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Prof. Sherif Mohamed is a seasoned university professor with nearly 30 years of experience in the Australian higher education sector. With a strong foundation in civil engineering and project management, he specialises in construction management, with a particular focus on both its technical and human dimensions.

Sherif holds a Master of Civil Engineering and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Southampton (UK). Additionally, he is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), and a member of the Australian Institute of Building.

Beyond his academic role, Sherif is an accomplished consultant in research and development. He has led and contributed to numerous interdisciplinary research initiatives spanning sectors such as construction, building, aviation, and health. With three decades of experience, Sherif has collaborated extensively with owners, service providers, and contracting organisations, helping them optimise strategic decision-making, enhance operational efficiency, and drive long-term profitability.

ADAM CARSWELL

Member: Board, A.B. Paterson College

Adam is a strategic and inclusive HR executive with over 20 years of global experience driving cultural transformation, workforce design, and operational excellence across mining, construction, manufacturing, and financial services. 

He has led major change initiatives, built high-performing teams, and delivered people strategies aligned to complex business goals. His leadership has shaped global technical teams, improved gender diversity, and supported multimillion-dollar projects through every phase – from greenfield to improved operations. With deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, talent planning, and behavioural safety, Adam brings a pragmatic, people-first approach to building resilient, future-ready organisations.

ALAN RICKARD

Patron 

Alan Rickard has resided on the Gold Coast since 1948, and attended Labrador Primary School and Southport State High School. He started in business in 1966, when he constructed a factory in Southport. In 1967, Alan purchased the family automotive service business which he moved into the Southport factory. The business grew to eight shops and 50 staff in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

In 1988, Alan sold the business and, in the same year, was elected as a councillor in the Gold Coast City Council. He stayed on as a councillor until 2004 and, during that time, Chaired the Finance and Economic Development Committees for 10 years and was Deputy Mayor for four years.

In 1989, Alan and a group of local residents and business people got together and promoted the establishment of A.B. Paterson College at Arundel. Alan was the Founding Chair of A.B. Paterson College Ltd and served as a Director for 25 years. He has also served on the Griffith University Advisory Council, which he chaired for three years, on the executive of the Southport Chamber of Commerce, and is presently the President of the Save Our Broadwater community group.

Alan and his wife, Marilyn, live at Runaway Bay, enjoying an active life and retaining a keen interest in A.B. Paterson College.