Board Members
Chair and Company Secretary
Mikael Borglund
Mikael Borglund is one of Australia’s most highly regarded film and television executives.
A founding director of Beyond International in 1984, Mikael was appointed Managing Director of the Beyond International Limited Group of companies in 1991 (listed on the ASX). Over the course of the next 4 decades, the company expanded to be one of the most prolific creators of film and television.
Following the sale of Beyond International Limited group of companies to Banijay in 2022, in December 2023 Mikael bought back the production divisions of the company to re-establish Beyond as a major independent producer of film and television in Australia and North America.
Mikael is also a Director of South Sydney District Football Club (Souths), the Sony Foundation and is a former Director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA), and the Australian Film Institute. A chartered accountant, Mikael has been a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand for over 40 years.
Deputy Chair
Bel Harper
Bel has worked in the Out of Home media industry in both Australia and North America for over 25 years. At oOh!media, Bel is the Group Director of Product Strategy across oOh!’s 35,000 advertising assets. In addition, Bel leads the positioning and monetisation of Qantas’ Clubs, Business Lounges and inflight entertainment media opportunities. Bel was recognised as oOh!’s 2020 Employee of the Year, was awarded the Outdoor Media Association’s (OMA) Outstanding Service to the Out of Home Industry 2021 and was a finalist in both the 2021 Women In Media and 2021 Best of the Best in the ‘Strategy’ category.
Founder
Don Spencer OAM
Don was hitchhiking through Africa when he met up with the legendary Roger Whittaker. It was this chance meeting that started Don’s career as a singer-songwriter which has resulted in over 500 published songs and countless TV, radio and film credits in the UK, USA and Australia. He has many gold and platinum albums. Don toured the UK with the Rolling Stones, The Hollies, The Four Seasons and many other world-famous artists before returning to Australia. He had a long-running role on Play School in both Australia and the UK. In 2007 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to children’s music and television as a songwriter and performer, and through the establishment of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation.
Non-Executive Directors
Ellie Aitken
Ellie Aitken has 25 years of education and experience in investment banking, philanthropy, business and commercial law. She has been admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW since 2007.
Ellie began her career as a financial research associate at JPMorgan and subsequently practiced as a solicitor in the Mergers and Acquisitions group, predominantly in the funds management sector, at Clayton Utz following her clerkship at Allens Linklaters. She currently consults to entities in a variety of sectors via her consulting company Poitrel Advisors.
Ellie holds Bachelor of Law and Master of Commerce with Honours (Finance and Accounting) degrees, and also graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Course in 2017.
Beth Appleton
Beth Appleton is a seasoned marketing professional with over 25 years’ experience in the entertainment and media industries. Her career includes high-profile roles at Warner Music and EMI, where she worked with globally renowned artists including Coldplay, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Michael Buble, and more. Based in Sydney, Beth is now Chief Marketing Officer at Fortress, a gaming entertainment network of venues. Beth has been a judge on the ACMF’s National Songwriting Competition panel for four years and in 2019 walked 150kms raising close to $20K for the ACMF.
Mary Lin
Mary Lin is a real estate agent and International Relations Manager at Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty. Mary has over a decade of real estate experience in luxury residential and commercial real estate and holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Business and Sociology and a Master of Public Relations and Advertising. Mary is actively involved in not-for-profit organisations, charity, fundraising and enjoys being a DJ. Mary is passionate about building a stronger generation through music therapy to assist with the mental, cognitive and emotional development of our future generation.
Justine Clarke is an acclaimed television, theatre and film actress of stage, an author, TV presenter, song-writer and producer of her ARIA award winning children’s albums and live touring shows and co-creator, composer and executive producer of ABCTV’s The Justine Clarke Show. Justine is passionate about giving Australian children equal and early access to music education.
Dean Cherny
Dean Cherny’s career began with a love of music and a second-hand mixer in his bedroom. From DJing alongside icons like Boy George and Frankie Knuckles to opening for George Michael, Dean built a reputation for crafting soundscapes that shape experiences. He later founded Marketing Melodies and Storeplay, which now services over 8,000 retail stores across the globe with curated music, scent and digital signage. Most recently, Dean joined the board of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF), reflecting his lifelong passion for music and education.
Deborah Knight
Deborah Knight is an accomplished journalist and presenter on Television and Radio, who is much loved by Australian audiences.
She currently hosts Money News on Nine Radio broadcasting around the country, and is host of the weekend edition of A Current Affair on Nine TV.
Deborah became the first female host of Afternoons on Sydney’s top rating 2GB radio, building up a strong following during 5 years in the talk radio role. She was also part of the first all female hosting team on The Today Show.
Deborah is one of the most versatile and hard working members of the Nine News family, presenting, hosting and reporting for a range of programs including Nine News, Today and Weekend Today, A Current Affair and Financial Review Sunday.
She has also been involved in rolling news coverage of major national and international events, as well as hosting National Election coverage and debates. Politics, Finance, International Affairs, and interesting stories are her key interests.
Deborah is also a regular contributor to 9Honey writing online columns, and hosts the podcast Anatomy of A Scam.
Deborah is a mum of 3 children who are all learning various instruments. Her father was a drummer and her husband also plays the drums. She loves singing, and will one day (hopefully) get back to singing in a choir.
Danielle Spencer
Danielle Spencer is an Australian singer-songwriter and film and television actor. Danielle released her critically acclaimed debut album ‘White Monkey’ through EMI Music Australia in 2001, and in 2010, released her second album, ‘Calling All Magicians’, in the UK and Australia. Danielle has recently appeared on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on the Seven Network, representing the ACMF. The daughter of ACMF founder and CEO Don Spencer, Danielle is passionately committed to the value and development of children’s music education.
Blainey North
Blainey North is the Managing Director of Blainey North and Associates, and Blainey North Collection, an international award-winning architecture and interior design practice. Blainey’s work is recognised worldwide, specialising in luxury hotels, residences, commercial and retail projects around the world. A member of the ACMF Fundraising Sub-committee, Blainey is passionate about the importance of music in developing children’s creativity.
Peter Northcote
Peter Northcote is arguably the most recorded guitarist in Australian history. He is one of the busiest session musicians in Australia today. Being the first call for jingles, Pete has played on just about every ad since the mid-80’s. Having twelve library/production albums under his wing, his compositions have had regular spots on Oprah, Dr Phil, and sports programs globally. Pete has recorded and performed with a myriad of musicians, including Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Yothu Yindi, Elton John, Cher, Shania Twain, Daryl Braithwaite, Guy Sebastian, Dragon, Human Nature, and Jenny Morris. Pete lectures at major music universities and truly understands the connection, compassion and creativity that can only be gained by the teaching of music at an early age.
Rob Mills
Rob Mills is an acclaimed Australian entertainer, singer, actor and presenter. Mills brings extensive creative expertise and a deep commitment to youth development and wellbeing. His prominent mental health advocacy aligns perfectly with music education’s proven social, emotional and well-being benefits, especially amidst the current youth mental health crisis.
A dedicated ACMF Ambassador for over 10 years, Rob Mills’ transition to the Board signifies an even deeper commitment to guiding the foundation’s strategic direction. He has been actively involved in advocating for equitable access to music because he knows how it supports the emotional and mental well-being of children at a time when they need it most.
“My journey in music has profoundly shaped my life, and I’ve seen first-hand the transformative power it holds, especially for young people facing challenges. It’s crucial that we champion the universal right for every Australian child to experience the joy and developmental benefits of learning and creating music, regardless of their background.
Brian Wexham
Brian Wexham is the Chief Executive of SkillsOne, formally a Federal Government initiative with the mission to promote and advance learning, teaching and training in trades education. Brian is former Chair of WorldSkills Australia. Brian’s background is extensive in media, advertising and publishing, and he has held executive roles with The Times and Sunday Times, The Observer and Today Newspaper in London. He was also the CEO of Lonrho Media PLC in East Africa, and is the author of several successful books and an international cartoon strip. Brian is a passionate proponent of music and committed to the ideals and mission of the ACMF.
