The AIIA has honoured its National Vice President Zara Kimpton OAM FAIIA, who will be stepping down from the board on 1 July after a 15-year tenure. Kimpton has also served as AIIA Victoria President and was acting AIIA National President briefly between the tenures of National Presidents The Honourable Kim Beazley AC FAIIA and John McCarthy AO FAIIA.
In recognition of her prominent role as second-in-charge of the institute, AIIA National President Heather Smith PSM FAIIA presented Kimpton with a framed copy of issue 2 (1947) of “the Australian Outlook” on behalf of the board. The publication later became the Australian Journal of International Affairs, the hemisphere’s leading academic journal in the IR field. Kimpton was later instrumental in setting up the AIIA’s weekly online publication that took the name “Australian Outlook” in 2014 and served on the board of Outlook’s commissioning editors committee ever since.
In a letter presented to Kimpton the following day, Smith thanked Kimpton personally for being a wonderful vice president and stressed “once more that your wisdom and guidance have been crucial for me as I have continued in my role as national president.”
According to AIIA CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield: “Zara’s contribution to the board and the energy and generosity she has brought to the institute over many many years has been immense. The institute has benefitted greatly from her keen sense of detail, financial acumen, institutional knowledge, and dedication.”
The presentation occurred after a Chatham House in-conversation session between Smith and AIIA Victoria President Richard Iron CMG OBE, on the evening prior to the board’s six-monthly strategy meeting.
