This year The Torch was excited to appoint Benson Saulo as our new Chairperson. He follows outgoing Chair the Hon. Jeff Kennett AC who served on the Board for the past nine years.

Benson is a proud descendant of the Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmara people of Western Victoria, and from New Ireland Province in Papua New Guinea. Bringing over 18 years of experience across finance, international engagement, economic development and social impact, we are excited to have his skill and leadership on our Board.

Benson was the first Indigenous person to be appointed an Australian Consul-General with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission based in Houston. In this role he spent close to three years driving forward Australia’s diplomatic, economic and trade agenda.

Commencing in the role earlier this year, Benson said “It is a great honour to become Chair of The Torch, and work with the wonderful team as they positively impact the lives of Aboriginal people across Victoria. Under Jeff Kennett’s Chairmanship the organisation is in a financially strong position to continue its life-changing work for many years to come.”

Serving as Chair since 2015, Jeff Kennett AC stepped down from the role in June 2024. “It is with great pleasure that after leading The Torch for 9 years, I hand over the Chairmanship of the organisation to Benson Saulo, a proud Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmara man. It has always been the intention of the Board that The Torch would eventually be led by an Indigenous Chairperson, and that time has arrived. Benson takes over the leadership of The Torch on July 1st, with the organisation in a financially and culturally strong position,” he said.