Our Board

Our skills-based board brings a wealth of industry insight and professional expertise to Evolve Housing Vic, overseeing the direction of our organisation and ensuring that our policies and practices are sound, ethical and effective.

Read on to learn more about our directors below.

Paul has an engineering and construction background and more than 45 years of experience in executive management positions, advising governments and the private sector, and not-for-profit organisations. Paul brings a wealth of experience to the Board, particularly in the areas of developing and advising on strategy, procurement and governance. Paul is Chair of Evolve Housing, and a Director of Centacare Evolve Housing in Tasmania.

Chris Eccles was Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet in Victoria from December 2014 till October 2020. As Secretary, Chris led the department and the Victorian Public Service in advising the Premier and the Government of Victoria.

Chris was previously Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet from 2011 to 2014, and Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of the Premier and Cabinet from 2009 to 2011. Chris also has previous experience in Victoria’s DPC, having held the positions of Deputy Secretary, Sector Improvement Group and later Deputy Secretary, National Reform and Climate Change Group from 2007 to 2009.

Prior to joining Victoria’s DPC in 2007, Chris worked in a variety of government and private sector senior management positions. He has held leadership roles with the ACT Chief Minister’s Department and with the Australian National Training Authority. As an Associate Director with KPMG, Chris headed the national education consulting practice. He subsequently became a foundation Director of the consulting firm, Phillips KPA, which works across all education and training sectors.

In 2017, Chris was made an Officer of the Order of Australia ‘for distinguished service to public administration, to innovative policy development and sound governance, and to the delivery of reform in the areas of training, education and disability’.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University.

Lyall is a highly successful and well-regarded business leader with more than 35 years’ experience in senior management, project management and administration. His career has spanned the public and private sectors, and he has been working as CEO of Evolve Housing Limited since May 2019. During his various corporate roles, Lyall has filled key corporate governance positions in a range of private and listed entities. He is the President of Business NSW and a Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He has previously worked as CEO of the Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club, Group CEO of the Cronulla Sharks, the founding Executive Chairman and CEO of the Western Sydney Wanderers, the Head of the Hyundai A-League, and at the Association of Independent Schools NSW.

Georgina Lynch has more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services and property industry with significant global experience in corporate transactions, capital raisings, initial public offerings (IPOs, funds management, corporate strategy, and acquisitions and divestments. Georgina has extensive executive and board experience – notably, she is the Chair of Cbus Property, which is one of Australia’s leading integrated property developers.

In addition, Georgina is an independent non-executive director, Member of the Audit and Risk Committee, and Chair of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee of ASX-listed Waypoint REIT; and an independent non-executive director and Member of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee and Risk and Responsible Investment Committee of ASX-listed Tassal Group.

Robert brings to the Board a deep level of knowledge and passion for contributing to the community, having previously held the roles of CEO of Parramatta City Council, Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Sydney School of Business and Board member to Greater Sydney Parklands. He also currently serves as director on the Board of Evolve Housing. He is a former CEO of Pacific Power and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and holds a number of Board positions in the private industry, not for profits, and government authorities. His expertise includes urban planning and placemaking, transformational change, strategic repositioning, restructuring, corporate governance, strategy, finance, technology, risk management, operations and human resources.