The Board sets the strategic direction of Sydney Eisteddfod, ensuring high standards of artistic integrity and governance.

Directors

Chair Maximilian Holzner

An experienced Chair and strategic leader across the not-for-profit and cultural sectors, Max brings deep expertise in governance, arts education, and digital innovation.

Deputy Chair Donald Mayes OAM

A long-serving Director and retired Solicitor, Donald has dedicated decades to community music and charitable service, including over 50 years as organiser of Sydney’s annual Messiah performance.

Piroozi Desai-Keane OAM, JP

With over 40 years of service to Sydney Eisteddfod, including 15 years as Chief Executive Officer, Piroozi is a respected arts leader and educator with a lifelong commitment to cultural exchange and performance development.

Toby Dewar

A senior marketing executive with over 25 years’ experience across major Australian brands, Toby brings deep expertise in sponsorship and media strategy, along with a longstanding personal and professional association with Sydney Eisteddfod.

Lily Huang

Lily is a seasoned executive and board director with a strong background in international finance, corporate governance, and cross-cultural engagement.

Stuart Langeveldt

A former Chief Experience Officer and award-winning strategist, Stuart offers Sydney Eisteddfod a wealth of expertise in marketing, brand, and customer experience leadership.

Francyne Mu

Francyne brings over 25 years of global investment experience alongside a strong personal commitment to supporting emerging talent in music, dance, and theatre.

Lisa Pavane

Former Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet and past Director of The Australian Ballet School, Lisa contributes exceptional leadership in dance education and performance.

Matthew Tribe

Matthew is a Chartered Accountant and experienced CFO, offering specialist knowledge in finance and governance for high-growth companies and arts organisations alike.

Company Secretary Dawn Logan Keeffe

A senior governance professional and Company Secretary, Dawn brings extensive regulatory and board advisory experience, with a deep commitment to the not-for-profit and arts sectors.

Documents

Read the Sydney Eisteddfod Board Charter (PDF)

Board

Learn about our important board structure, the members and our policies and strategies

Committees and Advisory Councils

Our committees and advisories are important to our operations. Learn about their charter and structures

Executive Team

Learn about the staff that help make Sydney Eisteddfod a reality
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Max Holzner

Max Holzner is an experienced not-for-profit Chair and company director with a background in strategic leadership, cultural governance, and digital innovation. He currently serves as Chair of Sydney Eisteddfod, the Music Teachers’ Association of NSW, and the Western Sydney Philharmonic (WestPhil), and is Co-Founder and CEO of Gradus Software – an education technology company supported by NSW Treasury that delivers curriculum-aligned digital learning tools for music education across Australia.

A member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Max has led major governance and structural reforms across multiple national and state-based organisations. His leadership has helped modernise board structures, embed best-practice governance, and strengthen financial sustainability through renewed philanthropic and government partnerships.

An alumnus of the University of Cambridge and the Australian National University, Max was a recipient of the Cambridge Australia Trust Orde Poynton Scholarship. Although having a background in business, he was formally trained as a violinist and has collaborated with many of Australia’s leading performers and orchestras, performing with chamber ensembles and at major festivals across Australia and the UK. He was assistant to the late Christopher Hogwood at the Academy of Ancient Music, contributing to major critical scholarly editions for Bärenreiter, including Elgar’s Enigma Variations.

In 2022, Max founded WestPhil under the patronage of Kim Williams AM. As Chair, he has led the organisation’s strategic vision to establish a world-class orchestral training pathway in Western Sydney. Since its launch, WestPhil has supported hundreds of young musicians through intensive programs, professional mentorship, and performances alongside leading Australian artists. The organisation is widely recognised for both its artistic excellence and its commitment to regional equity in the arts.

Max’s leadership at Sydney Eisteddfod reflects his deep belief in the transformative power of the performing arts and his commitment to ensuring that all young Australians have access to opportunity, inspiration, and excellence.

Donald Mayes OAM

Donald Mayes has been a Director of Sydney Eisteddfod since 1999, and is a retired Solicitor, having practised in Sydney for over 50 years.   

He is also a Director of Radio Community Chest Inc, the organiser of the annual presentations of Handel’s “Messiah” at Sydney Town Hall each year, with a choir of approximately 400 voices.  He has held this position for over 50 years, and the organisation distributes substantial donations each year to charities, which support needy persons in Sydney. 

Donald has an ongoing interest in the Arts and is a member of an active choir. 

He was awarded an OAM in 2020 for Services to Community Music.

Piroozi Desai OAM, JP, BA (Hons) 

Piroozi Desai OAM is an experienced arts administrator with a distinguished career in cultural programming and arts education. Born in Karachi, Pakistan to Zoroastrian parents, she was educated at Cathedral High School in Lahore and went on to study French, German and philosophy at The Punjab University. She later undertook further studies through the University of Cambridge. 

From 1976 to 1981, she was Program Director at the Goethe-Institut in Lahore, Pakistan (German Cultural Centre), where she coordinated national tours for visiting German artists and facilitated international cultural exchange. 

Since migrating to Australia in 1981, Piroozi has played a significant role in the Australian arts landscape. She joined Sydney Eisteddfod that same year and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2007, a role she held until her retirement in December 2021. Over four decades with the organisation, including 15 years as CEO, she was instrumental in expanding its reach and fostering opportunities for young performers. 

In addition to her leadership at Sydney Eisteddfod, Piroozi has served as a Board Member of River City Voices and is currently Artistic Advisor to The Arts Unit at Sydney Catholic Schools, supporting performance programmes and curriculum enrichment across the Catholic school system. 

An Australian citizen since 1984, she is also a Justice of the Peace and remains active in the arts as a long-standing volunteer with Opera Australia’s Opera on the Harbour (since 2016) and the Bondi Festival. 

Toby Dewar

Toby Dewar is a passionate marketer with over 25 years’ experience in sponsorship, media strategy and buying, brand strategy, retail marketing and public speaking.

Toby formed his career within the global advertising agencies of DDB, Universal Mccann and Ikon, before moving client side in senior marketing roles within McDonald’s, Telstra and Westpac. Currently he looks after client engagement, research and marketing at Foxtel Media.

Toby’s first experience with the Sydney Eisteddfod began in his role as General Manager of Media and Sponsorships at McDonald’s Australia who were the principal sponsor of the Sydney Eisteddfod and their marque Ballet and Aria Scholarships. Since then, Toby has been a long-standing board member with over 15 years’ experience.

Outside of work he is proud father of 3 daughters who have all danced and thrived on the stages of the Sydney Eisteddfod.

Lily Huang

Lily Huang is an accomplished executive and board director with over 15 years of leadership experience across international trade, commercial and investment banking, and corporate governance. She has held senior roles at National Australia Bank as Director of Migrant Banking, and at Citibank Australia as Vice President, and currently serves as Executive Managing Partner of Raffles Focus Fund and Non-Executive Director at EZZ Life Science Holdings (ASX: EZZ).

Lily also serves as Vice President of the Australian Soong Ching Ling Foundation Charity, where she supports initiatives that promote youth development and cross-cultural engagement.

Fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Shanghainese, Lily brings to Sydney Eisteddfod a deep commitment to cultural diplomacy, inclusive growth, and community impact. Her experience in stakeholder engagement and strategic partnership development reflects her enduring dedication to fostering artistic excellence and sustainable governance.

Stuart Langeveldt

Stuart Langeveldt is an internationally awarded senior brand, marketing and communications expert, with more than three decades experience leading marketing and customer experience teams.  With a distinguished career spanning customer experience design, research and insights, marketing communications, and digital transformation, Stuart has consistently delivered impactful results for some of Australia’s leading brands.

Stuart’s expertise extends across the full spectrum of the financial services sector – including retail banking, insurance, wealth management and funds management. Most recently, he served as Chief Experience Officer at Qantas Super for eight years, where he spearheaded transformative initiatives that elevated both customer satisfaction and business performance.  His collaborative approach and ability to inspire high-performing teams have earned him a reputation as a successful business leader.

A passionate advocate for the performing arts, Stuart’s formative years in South Africa were profoundly shaped by his participation in Eisteddfod festivals. He attributes his confidence and lifelong love for the arts to these early experiences, which fostered both his creative spirit and competitive drive. Reflecting on his journey, Stuart shares, “It feels fitting and like coming full circle to now be able to give back and contribute to the growth and renewal of Sydney Eisteddfod at this important time.”

Stuart is a graduate of the Johannesburg School of the Performing Arts majoring in Speech & Drama and holds a Master of Business (Marketing) degree from UTS.  As part of a recent career pivot and commitment to personal growth, he is currently pursuing a Master of Counselling degree with the goal of helping make a difference in the lives of others.

Francyne Mu

Francyne Mu brings over 25 years of global experience in equities and investment management to the board, with a career that has spanned London, New York, Asia, and Australia. Her professional expertise extends across a range of industries, including Financial Services, Technology, and Consumer sectors. She has held senior roles at leading institutions such as Citigroup, Pictet Asset Management, and most recently, served as Portfolio Manager of Global Equities at Franklin Templeton, a US-based asset manager with more than US$1.5 trillion under management.

Beyond her distinguished finance career, Francyne is a passionate advocate for the performing arts, particularly in music, dance, and theatre. She is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of artistic talent. She is a strong supporter of programs that provide young and emerging artists with meaningful opportunities to perform, develop their craft, while gaining exposure and confidence.

As a board member, Francyne brings not only strategic insight and governance experience, but also a deep appreciation for the role the arts play in shaping vibrant, inclusive communities. A graduate of The University of Melbourne with a BA/BCom (Hons), she is also a CFA Charter holder.

Lisa Pavane

Born in Newcastle, NSW, Lisa Pavane began her dance journey in 1978 as a student at The Australian Ballet School, training under the School’s founding Director, Dame Margaret Scott AC DBE. She was part of the inaugural tour of The Dancers’ Company (now The Australian Ballet’s National Tour) in 1980 and joined The Australian Ballet in 1981. Rising swiftly through the ranks, Lisa was promoted to Soloist in 1983 and Principal Artist in 1986.

In 1994, Lisa joined English National Ballet as a Senior Principal Ballerina and performed extensively as an international guest artist with leading companies including Boston Ballet, the Kirov Ballet, Munich Staatsoper, and Birmingham Royal Ballet. She retired from the stage in 1999.

Lisa returned to The Australian Ballet School in 2007 as a faculty member. In 2008, she became the first graduate of the School’s Vocational Graduate Certificate in Elite Ballet Instruction. She went on to hold several key leadership positions, becoming Head of Student Training in 2012, the same year she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and completed a Graduate Certificate in Professional Education and Training from Deakin University.

In 2015, Lisa was appointed Director of The Australian Ballet School, a role she held with distinction for nearly a decade until stepping down in June 2024.

Since then, Lisa has remained active in the dance community. She has worked with Queensland Ballet as Guest Ballet Mistress, returned to the stage in the role of Lady Capulet in Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, and contributed as a teacher and adjudicator for the Royal Academy of Dance, Brisbane Performing Arts Challenge, and various masterclasses, intensives, and scholarship programs across Queensland and NSW.

Lisa continues to be involved on the international stage as a Committee Member of the International Alliance of Professional Dance Schools and through her work with Canada’s National Ballet School’s Assemblée Internationale program.

Matthew Tribe

Matthew is a finance leader, having spent the last 15 years as a consulting CFO leading the finance function for VC-funded tech and growth companies across a range of industries in New York and Sydney. Matthew has a deep understanding of business operations, structures, and reporting gained from more than 15 years in public accounting, both as a Chartered Accountant in Australia and a CPA in the United States. Contributing to the arts has always been a key interest, having acted as the Treasurer for Waverley Woollahra Art School as well as Access Theater in New York and now Sydney Eisteddfod.

Company Secretary Dawn Logan Keeffe

Dawn Logan Keeffe is a senior Board advisor and governance professional, who has a passion for supporting for purpose organisations, particularly those within the Arts.  Having previously worked as Group Company Secretary for a global listed multinational information and data company, she made the decision to move into the not-for-profit sector and is the Deputy Company Secretary and General Counsel for the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, managing a diverse range of stakeholders including large corporate, government/public sector and vulnerable consumers.  Dawn was also instrumental in the formation of the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort, holding the inaugural Company Secretarial role and establishing key governance and policy frameworks for the government enacted scheme.  She is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.

Dawn has been involved in Eisteddfods around the world and is an advocate for performing arts development at grass roots level. 

Sydney Eisteddfod Home

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which our work and events take place. We celebrate and applaud the long, rich history of storytelling in song, dance, and voice. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We contribute to this continuity – developing and sharing our combined cultural journey through our activities on these lands where sovereignty was never ceded.