AIST, HESTA director passes suddenly

David Smith
DAVID SMITH
HESTA - Director
DEPARTURE
HESTA
Date: November 2019
Position: Director

HESTA director and former AIST president David Smith passed suddenly on Friday 22 November.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said everyone at the organisation was saddened by the news. "David was an inspirational leader and advocate for both HESTA and ASU members and we feel incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to work together to help deliver better outcomes for our members.

"David brought to the HESTA Board a deep knowledge of the community services sector and experience drawn from more than 25 years passionately defending and advancing the rights of working Australians. He also had a broad knowledge and understanding of the superannuation industry, he will be deeply missed by all of us at HESTA."

At AIST he was also a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee and Chair of the Remuneration Committee. His contribution to the profit-to-member industry funds sector dates back to 2007, where he also served as a Fund Director of Energy Super.

Smith was also the general secretary of the Australian Services Union, who called him a "titan of the Australian union movement."

AIST CEO Eva Scheerlinck said Smith was forward-thinking and helped champion AIST's Governance Code and shape the boards of profit-to-member super funds as they are today. "David was a staunch supporter of profit-to-member superannuation and the equal representation governance model. Everything decision he made was made through the lens of putting members' interests first."

HESTA chair Nicola Roxon says that Smith made many great contributions to their board since he joined, and constantly pushed the organisation to do better. "David was widely recognised both in the superannuation industry and in the union movement as a passionate representative of working people. David shared a deep sense of social justice and commitment to working towards a fairer and more equitable Australia."