• Board Director | Regulatory & Systems Strategist

    Neil Pharaoh is a Non-Executive Director with more than 20 years’ experience operating across highly regulated, government-exposed and politically contested sectors. He currently serves on the boards of the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, Thorne Harbour Health and Tactiv Pty Ltd, and sits on the Advisory Board of Bio Products Australia. His governance experience spans statutory authorities, regulated health and human services organisations, clean technology, and commercial software businesses.

    Neil brings particular strength in regulatory oversight, enterprise risk, CEO transition and strategic positioning in environments where legislation, funding settings, industrial relations and public scrutiny materially shape performance. He has served on and chaired audit and risk committees, led governance reform processes, and supported boards through complex stakeholder and regulatory landscapes.

    As Co-founder of Tanck, an award-winning government engagement firm, Neil has advised organisations across Australia on navigating and shaping regulatory and policy environments, securing more than $3 billion in public funding and contributing to over 300 legislative and regulatory reforms. This executive experience informs his board contribution: anticipating regulatory inflection points, identifying licence-to-operate risks early, and positioning organisations to convert political and social pressure into strategic advantage.

    Neil has held senior corporate affairs and strategy roles in high-growth, government-funded businesses, including within a $500 million national enterprise operating in a tightly regulated sector. In these roles he defended against regulatory incursion, led policy reform efforts that created favourable operating conditions, and strengthened board-level oversight of political and compliance risk.

    He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Accounting) and Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has completed executive education at Harvard University.

    Neil combines deep fluency in how government, regulation and public pressure reshape industries with a pragmatic, commercially grounded approach to governance. He is particularly suited to boards operating in regulated, government-facing or socially contested sectors where long-term value depends on strategic alignment with policy, regulatory and community expectations.

  • Chair & Non-Executive Director, National Environment and Climate Peak Body

    Non-Executive Director, National Performing Arts Company

    Chair & Non-Executive Director, Community Learning and Adult Education Centre

    Non-Executive Director & Clinical Governance Committee Member, Maldon Hospital (now Dhelkaya Health)

    Member, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Panel on Civics and Democracy

    Non-Executive Director, GiveOUT (now Rainbow Giving Australia)

    Member, Fundraising Subcommittee – The Reach Foundation

    Member, Development Committee – Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (now Health Equity Matters)

    Co-Founder, Director & Advisory Member, Nexus Global Summit Australia