Melbourne International Arts Festival

VICE PRESIDENT

John W.H. Denton was appointed to the Melbourne International Arts Festival Board in March 2007.

John is currently Partner & Chief Executive Officer of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, one of Australia's leading national law firms.

John plays an instrumental role in a number of other leading organisations, including the Australian American Leadership Dialogue, the International Division of the Law Council of Australia, the International Trade Law Society, the Australian Services Roundtable the International Employment Law Alliance and board member on the Asia Society Australasia Centre

John is a councilor and Chairman of the Trade & International Taskforce for the Business Council of Australia, a business member of the Trade Advisory Council and the Experts Group on Trade and Investment in Indonesia, reporting into the Minister for Trade.

As a former diplomat with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, John has extensive international negotiating expertise, following postings in Moscow, the United Nations, South Asia and the Middle East.

At a community level, John is passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of others, particularly in his current role as Chairman of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Australia.

Professionally, John is recognised as a leading Australian lawyer, most recently being acknowledged as one of the best labour law lawyers in the Asia-Pacific by Asialaw Leading Lawyers Survey. He continues to advise clients in workplace relations, international trade law and government relations.

In addition to the Melbourne International Arts Festival, John is actively involved in the Australian Business Arts Foundation, the Australia Asia Young Leaders Program and Georgetown University's Centre for Australia and New Zealand Studies.