Ms Jill Hickson
Ms Jill Hickson first graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sydney University where she attended Women's College and topped the third year Honours course in English Literature. She also did Honours in Government.
In 1969 she joined QANTAS Airways in its Marketing Division and held various positions in the company before being appointed International Relations Manager with the responsibility of negotiating international air traffic rights with other airlines and Governments.
After a decade of service with Qantas she returned to University full-time and undertook an MBA at the Australia Graduate School of Management, UNSW. She graduated in 1982 as Cecil Hall Scholar (best overall performance) with four other prizes notably those for Finance and Human Resource Management.
In 1983 Ms Hickson established a literary agency, Hickson Associates Pty Ltd which, over fifteen years, provided representation for a large list of writers including Robert Hughes, Tom Keneally, Robert Drewe, Alex Miller and Mandy Sayer. She discovered Bryce Courtney and was voted the most influential agent by her peers before selling her business to Curtis Brown, a British-owned company in 1998.
Ms Hickson is currently serving on the board of SMEC Holdings Ltd as well as several unlisted companies. She has been a Director of Bilfinger Berger, Abigroup, Ansett New Zealand, the Australia Graduate School of Management and International Grammar School.
In the not-for-profit sector Jill has given some twenty five years of honorary service to a variety of arts organizations and the cultural life of New South Wales. She is Chairman of the Historic Houses Trust and has been on the board of Sydney Theatre since 2003. Ms Hickson is a former member of the boards of the NSW Conservatorium of Music, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Centennial and Moore Parks Trust and the Sydney Opera House Trust. Her environmental interests are well-known and she is at present Patron of Greening Australia (NSW).
Ms Hickson is married to the Hon. Neville Wran AC QC, former Premier of NSW (1976-1986). They have a daughter Harriet and son Hugo. She has a passion for reading, gardening and singing.