Professor John Humphrey was appointed to the Board of Trustees in May 2018 and elected as Chairman in October 2019. He has over 30 years' experience as a corporate lawyer and is Chairman or non-executive director of a number of listed public companies. He is a BGS Old Boy and graduated in 1972.
Can you tell us a little about your background and your time at Brisbane Grammar School? My father was in the Army and that meant we moved around regularly. I came to Brisbane Grammar School in 1969 as a boarder and finished in 1972. Boarding was categorised by strong boarding house spirit. We saw ourselves as a special tribe, the backbone of the School.
Do you think BGS prepared you well for life beyond school? The quality of my teachers at school was high and while giving us a good education they prepared us well for our Senior exams. We were encouraged to aim high and the School provided me with an extensive network of contacts.
Can you tell us about a standout memory as a student at BGS? One of my standout memories is that in early July 1969, we were all crowded into the Great Hall to watch the moon landing on a couple of black and white TVs.
As Chairman of the Board of Trustees what is your vision and priorities for the future? My vision for BGS is for us to be a school that works with each student to deliver a tailored, individual education which will maximise that student's educational achievement, while at the same time offering a broad range of co-curricular experiences to benefit other aspects of the student's development.
When not thinking about everything light dark blue, what are your other interests? My interests are bushwalking, wine, tennis, weight training and chess. In my younger days I played golf at a reasonable level but I have difficulty in finding time now.
Source: Grammar News Summer 2020. Read the original edition