Title Image

Our People

Bowness Family Foundation trustees include Bill Bowness and his two daughters, Natasha and Kelly. Nick Stretch, a long-time advisor to the family, is the Foundation’s responsible person. All trustees, together with Executive Officer Leonie Boxtel, have a strong commitment to strengthening our community through the Foundation’s activities.
Our Founder/Trustee
William (Bill) Bowness AO B Com FCPA FAPI FAICD HonDB

Bill was born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland and attended Brisbane State High School and the University of Queensland. After moving to Melbourne in 1968, Bill worked initially in banking, including investment banking.

In 1976 Bill founded property development company Wilbow Corporation Pty Ltd. Offices were subsequently established in Brisbane, (Australia), Dallas (United States), and Auckland (New Zealand) from 1989-2004. The Australian operations were sold to a major public company in 2006 and the Dallas operations retained and expanded. Bill is Chair of Wilbow Group Pty Ltd, an Australian private investment company that is also involved in property development in USA.


Bill is actively involved in various cultural, community and philanthropic activities and maintains a significant collection of Australian art. In addition to serving as a Trustee on the Bowness Family Foundation Board he is a member of the  The Australian Ballet Foundation Board and the Advisory Board of Photo 2021, a Trustee of the Monash Gallery of Art Foundation. Bill has been awarded Life Membership of both the National Gallery of Victoria and the Australian Ballet.

In 2015 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Business from the University of Queensland for his distinguished service to the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Queensland. In 2017 he received the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the visual and performing arts, and to the building and construction industry.

Natasha Bowness - Chair
Trustee
Natasha Bowness B Ec CA GAICD

Natasha has a long association with philanthropy through Chairing the Bowness Family Foundation, as a former Board Member of Zoos Victoria and current Member of the Zoos Victoria Foundation, President of The Australian Ballet’s Annual Giving Program, member of the Monash University Campaign Council,  member of the Council of the National Museum of Australia, Board Member of the Helen Macpherson-Smith Trust, and former Chair of the Monash Gallery of Arts Committee of Management.  Natasha is Executive Director of Wilbow Group. She is a Chartered Accountant and was formerly with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London and Melbourne.

Trustee
Kelly Wyborn B Com CA GAID
Kelly is a Chartered Accountant with broad experience across business development, strategy, audit and corporate finance having worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Melbourne and London and for Ramsay Health Care in Australia. She is a non-executive director of Wilbow Group and has a particular interest in the disability and healthcare sectors.
Trustee
Nick Stretch LLB, B Com

Nick has over 30 years experienced in mergers and acquisitions and has advised in both public and private contexts. Nick also has experience in insolvencies and business reconstructions across a broad range of sectors. He is currently Managing Partner of Partners Legal Solutions. Nick’s additional roles include Director for the Perry Foundation, Monash Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Firbank Grammar.

Executive Officer
Leonie Boxtel BA M Bus GAICD

Leonie has extensive experience in strategy, stakeholder engagement and non-profit management in Australia and Asia. She has held executive and senior management roles with not-for-profits, government, and higher education. Her roles to date have focused on the education, arts and community sectors and she brings over a decade of experience leading philanthropy and alumni relations. She is Board Member of the Australia Japan Foundation, Presidents of the MEXT Alumni Association Melbourne and former Deputy Chair and Director of Melbourne City Mission.