Robbie Gaspar is passionate about building cross-cultural ties between Indonesia and Australia with a long history of supporting the bilateral relationship in business and sport and was the first Australian footballer to play professionally in Indonesia. He played in Indonesia for almost eight years, including for Indonesia’s most prestigious football club, Persib Bandung, and actively promotes sports diplomacy between the two countries.
He graduated from the ACICIS in-country program and spent time at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, where he developed and assisted with implementing their first-ever Sports Diplomacy Strategy for the Embassy.
Robbie was awarded Life Membership of Professional Footballers Australia for his contribution to supporting professional football players across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. He sat on the Australian Indonesian Business Council Western Australia committee for over five years and held the chair role from 2020 to 2021.
In 2017 Robbie was the recipient of the Australia Indonesia Award for the Sports Category, one of only two people in Western Australia to receive an Australian Indonesia Award. As President of the Indonesia Institute, he aims to improve and build a more sustainable relationship between Indonesia and Australia.
Robbie Gaspar is passionate about building cross-cultural ties between Indonesia and Australia with a long history of supporting the bilateral relationship in business and sport and was the first Australian footballer to play professionally in Indonesia. He played in Indonesia for almost eight years, including for Indonesia’s most prestigious football club, Persib Bandung, and actively promotes sports diplomacy between the two countries.
He graduated from the ACICIS in-country program and spent time at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, where he developed and assisted with implementing their first-ever Sports Diplomacy Strategy for the Embassy.
Robbie was awarded Life Membership of Professional Footballers Australia for his contribution to supporting professional football players across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. He sat on the Australian Indonesian Business Council Western Australia committee for over five years and held the chair role from 2020 to 2021.
In 2017 Robbie was the recipient of the Australia Indonesia Award for the Sports Category, one of only two people in Western Australia to receive an Australian Indonesia Award. As President of the Indonesia Institute, he aims to improve and build a more sustainable relationship between Indonesia and Australia.
Dan has had a long association with Indonesia and is passionate about improving relations between the two countries. He has over 20 years’ experience in education, consulting and international trade and spent 8 years living and working in Indonesia. He is a graduate of the ACICIS in-country program, was a co-founder of English colleges and testing centres based out of Yogyakarta and spent time in-country working on agricultural projects in Sumatra and Java as part of the Australia Indonesia Working Group on Agriculture & Food Cooperation (WGAFC).
He is was a previous vice-chair of the Australia-Indonesia Business Council in Perth and held senior positions with Navitas working in offshore and local markets including Indonesia, followed by owning his own businesses in business improvement, consulting and corporate education.
Currently he is a Director of Essemy, which supplies services into the private sector, government and government enterprise in people and organisational development.
Dan has had a long association with Indonesia and is passionate about improving relations between the two countries. He has over 20 years’ experience in education, consulting and international trade and spent 8 years living and working in Indonesia. He is a graduate of the ACICIS in-country program, was a co-founder of English colleges and testing centres based out of Yogyakarta and spent time in-country working on agricultural projects in Sumatra and Java as part of the Australia Indonesia Working Group on Agriculture & Food Cooperation (WGAFC).
He is was a previous vice-chair of the Australia-Indonesia Business Council in Perth and held senior positions with Navitas working in offshore and local markets including Indonesia, followed by owning his own businesses in business improvement, consulting and corporate education.
Currently he is a Director of Essemy, which supplies services into the private sector, government and government enterprise in people and organisational development.
Greg’s background in building international businesses and board experience bring a comprehensive and strategic perspective to trade and investment and the opportunities that exist between Australia and Indonesia.
He is based in Perth running several business operations which take him frequently to Asia, particularly Indonesia. He is a founding director and shareholder of Australia’s leading global safety footwear brand Steel Blue, with long term manufacturing operations in Australia and Indonesia. This has enabled Greg to establish a close working relationship and understanding of Indonesia over the last 25 years.
Greg is also a Founding Shareholder and former Director of Australia’s largest independent retailing group Associated Retailers Limited, with some 400 outlets, whose divisions include Toy World, Mensland, Shoex, Camping World, Complete Angler and Sports Power.
Greg is a strong advocate for the government on business policy, having also served as a Board Member of the Western Australian Government Small Business Development Corporation and as an Advisory Member of the Western Australian Commercial Tenancy Tribunal.
Greg’s background in building international businesses and board experience bring a comprehensive and strategic perspective to trade and investment and the opportunities that exist between Australia and Indonesia.
He is based in Perth running several business operations which take him frequently to Asia, particularly Indonesia. He is a founding director and shareholder of Australia’s leading global safety footwear brand Steel Blue, with long term manufacturing operations in Australia and Indonesia. This has enabled Greg to establish a close working relationship and understanding of Indonesia over the last 25 years.
Greg is also a Founding Shareholder and former Director of Australia’s largest independent retailing group Associated Retailers Limited, with some 400 outlets, whose divisions include Toy World, Mensland, Shoex, Camping World, Complete Angler and Sports Power.
Greg is a strong advocate for the government on business policy, having also served as a Board Member of the Western Australian Government Small Business Development Corporation and as an Advisory Member of the Western Australian Commercial Tenancy Tribunal.
Vicki Richardson commenced her teaching career in 1998 and was a trailblazer for instigating programs that connected secondary students in Indonesia and Australia. She was also involved in the BRIDGE program which connects schools in Indonesia with schools in Australia.
Vicki’s student exchanges have been the subject of three research studies conducted by the Asia Education Foundation due to the success of her exchanges and her past students continuing involvement with Indonesia.
During her teaching career Vicki was shortlisted for several awards such as Australia Indonesia Award and the Muslim Non-Muslim Understanding Award. She was also a frequent state and national conference speaker.
Vicki is currently living between Surabaya, East Java and Perth. In Indonesia she volunteers for East java Education Department and is a volunteer guest lecturer at tertiary institutions focussing on 2nd Language Pedagogy, Positive Discipline, 21 Century Learning, Inquiry Teaching and Learning.
Natalie Sambhi is a dedicated professional focused on enhancing understanding of Indonesian civil-military relations, defence policy, and Southeast Asian security through her extensive research and published works. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Verve Research, an independent think tank focusing on the relationship between militaries and societies in Southeast Asia. Additionally, Natalie holds the role of Senior Policy Fellow at Asia Society Australia and serves as a Senior Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute.
Her background includes being a Non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program and holding a PhD from the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, specifically focusing on the Indonesian military’s history.
Natalie has academic experience through her role at Deakin University, where she instructs modules for the Australian War College’s Defence and Strategic Studies Course and the Australian Command and Staff Course. She previously held roles at the Perth USAsia Centre, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and the University of Canberra. She has been a Visiting Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in Washington, DC.
With a Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) (Hons) from the University of Western Australia and a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Australian National University, Natalie brings a wealth of academic expertise. She has delivered guest lectures and presentations at numerous reputable institutions, think tanks, and government departments. She has contributed to publications, including Security Challenges Journal, South China Morning Post, War On The Rocks, The Diplomat, The Interpreter, and The National Interest.
Natalie Sambhi is a dedicated professional focused on enhancing understanding of Indonesian civil-military relations, defence policy, and Southeast Asian security through her extensive research and published works. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Verve Research, an independent think tank focusing on the relationship between militaries and societies in Southeast Asia. Additionally, Natalie holds the role of Senior Policy Fellow at Asia Society Australia and serves as a Senior Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute.
Her background includes being a Non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program and holding a PhD from the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, specifically focusing on the Indonesian military’s history.
Natalie has academic experience through her role at Deakin University, where she instructs modules for the Australian War College’s Defence and Strategic Studies Course and the Australian Command and Staff Course. She previously held roles at the Perth USAsia Centre, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and the University of Canberra. She has been a Visiting Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in Washington, DC.
With a Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) (Hons) from the University of Western Australia and a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Australian National University, Natalie brings a wealth of academic expertise. She has delivered guest lectures and presentations at numerous reputable institutions, think tanks, and government departments. She has contributed to publications, including Security Challenges Journal, South China Morning Post, War On The Rocks, The Diplomat, The Interpreter, and The National Interest.
David Scholefield is an Engagement Partner for the College of Law, Arts and Social Sciences at Murdoch University. He is passionate about the transformative impact of tertiary education, and the enablement of students and their institutions to enrich society. He has held roles within the tertiary sector spanning from domestic recruitment, strategic consulting, international engagement and applies these extensive skills into the growth of opportunities for colleagues, students and their communities
Indonesia, and the pursuit of engagement within the Indo-Pacific region has been a driving force in many aspects of his life since a high school exchange to Surabaya in 2010. Since then, David has lived and worked in Indonesia, represented Australia in the 35th Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program and continues to support bi-lateral organisations such as Australia-Indonesia Youth Association and the Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth. He is a Reference Group Member, within the Australian-Consortium of In-Country Indonesian Studies (Acicis) and is a Director of the Indonesia Institute.
David holds a BA in Asian Studies, Indonesian and Anthropology and speaks Bahasa Indonesia.
David Scholefield is an Engagement Partner for the College of Law, Arts and Social Sciences at Murdoch University. He is passionate about the transformative impact of tertiary education, and the enablement of students and their institutions to enrich society. He has held roles within the tertiary sector spanning from domestic recruitment, strategic consulting, international engagement and applies these extensive skills into the growth of opportunities for colleagues, students and their communities
Indonesia, and the pursuit of engagement within the Indo-Pacific region has been a driving force in many aspects of his life since a high school exchange to Surabaya in 2010. Since then, David has lived and worked in Indonesia, represented Australia in the 35th Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program and continues to support bi-lateral organisations such as Australia-Indonesia Youth Association and the Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth. He is a Reference Group Member, within the Australian-Consortium of In-Country Indonesian Studies (Acicis) and is a Director of the Indonesia Institute.
David holds a BA in Asian Studies, Indonesian and Anthropology and speaks Bahasa Indonesia.
Email: contact@indonesia-institute.org.au
Level 7
197 St Georges Tce
Perth
Western Australia
6000
1300 793 144
contact@indonesia-institute.org.au
