Vedran Drakulic

Haileybury Committees and Subsidiaries: Haileybury Foundation and Finance, Audit & Risk

General: As a person who came to Australia as a refugee, Mr Drakulic understands the vital importance of education in helping every person reach their full potential, and he is a passionate humanitarian committed to promoting social justice and fostering social cohesion and inclusion.

Academic: Mr Drakulic undertook his early-years studies in the former Yugoslavia, while in Australia he completed his Master’s Degree in Public Advocacy and Action at Victoria University. Mr Drakulic also received the Inaugural Jim & Di Carlton Scholarship to complete the Executive Colloquium at the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership.

Career and professional activities: At present Mr Drakulic is the CEO of Gandel Foundation, one of Australia’s largest private family foundations, providing grants and support to a broad range of charities across the fields of education, arts and culture, health and medical research, Jewish identity and leadership, Indigenous programs and youth at risk.

Previously, Mr Drakulic spent over a decade working in a broad range of roles in the humanitarian sector both in Australia and overseas. Working across marketing, communications, public relations, media advocacy and fundraising, Mr Drakulic worked with the International Red Cross in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Switzerland and he also worked with the Australian Red Cross and Oxfam Australia.

Immediately prior to his role with Gandel Foundation, Mr Drakulic was General Manager of Public Affairs at RACV, responsible for the organisation’s corporate and media communications, publications (including RoyalAuto magazine), corporate planning and hospitality and the company’s suite of corporate social responsibility activities, including the RACV Community Foundation.

Awards for services to the community: Mr Drakulic was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2017 Australia Day honours, for “service to the community through a range of charitable organisations”. He also received the Professional Achievement Alumni Award from Victoria University in 2020.

Board experience: Currently Mr Drakulic is Vice-Chair of AMES Australia; a Non-Executive Director at VicHealth; a Trustee with the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust; Vice-Chair of the Betty Amsden Foundation; and a Board Member with the Order of Australia Foundation. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the School of Global and Social Studies at RMIT.

Connection to Haileybury: Mr Drakulic has a daughter who is studying at the Haileybury City Campus.

Values: Mr Drakulic believes in lifelong learning, including languages, to strengthen not just the general knowledge of students but also to help build their character and help them to grow up to be compassionate, caring and upstanding individuals. Mr Drakulic believes that every young person can achieve their dreams and aspirations if provided the right opportunities, in the right environment.