The Chair of Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV), Eddie Micallef, is delighted to announce the appointment of Farah Farouque as Chief Executive Officer. Farah will commence in the role on 28 October.
Mr Micallef said Farah’s substantial experience in social policy, advocacy and strategic communications, combined with senior leadership roles in the community sector, makes her the ideal person to build on ECCV’s 50-year legacy in multicultural affairs.
“Farah is an inclusive, values-driven leader with a deep commitment to advancing the interests of our diverse communities,” Mr Micallef said.
Farah joins ECCV from Tenants Victoria, the peak body for renters, where she has been the Director of Community Engagement since 2020. She was previously Principal Advisor for Public Affairs and Policy at the national anti-poverty group Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL), where she worked for seven years.
Farah was a journalist at The Age for almost 20 years, where her roles included Social Affairs Editor, Law and Justice Editor and political reporter in both the Victorian and Australian Parliamentary press galleries, as well as undertaking reporting assignments in Asia and the Middle East.
Farah is also longstanding Board Chair of The Social Studio, a social enterprise tapping into the design talents of young people from refugee and new migrant backgrounds. She also serves on the advisory board of The Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI).
Farah said it was a privilege to be chosen to lead ECCV at a critical time. “Cultural diversity is not a niche issue. Half of the Victorian population, just like me, were either born overseas or have a parent born overseas: we need to see multicultural perspectives penetrate every sphere and tier of policymaking.
“ECCV’s grassroots connection to communities and organisational values, which include equity, courage, respect and compassion really resonates with me. Thank you to the ECCV Board for entrusting me with this key role, it feels like a full circle for someone who arrived here with my family as a child migrant from Sri Lanka,” she said.
The CEO appointment follows a robust recruitment process, attracting a strong and diverse field of candidates.
