Multi-award-winning investigative journalist, reporter, author and senior business writer, Ms Adele Ferguson AM, joined the La Trobe Business School (LBS) as an Adjunct Professor^ in May 2020.
As a regular face in the media, Adele is known for her exposés of malfeasance in the financial services, workers compensation and franchising sectors.
It is this wealth of knowledge that Adele brings to students and staff as an Adjunct Professor with the School, interacting through guest lectures and working directly with students. This brings an exciting advantage to La Trobe business students who will now have access to insight and experience gained by Adele in the financial sector over more than 20 years.
Adele’s career as an investigative journalist has included work as a senior business writer and columnist for The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review. She has uncovered scandals within the ATO, major banks and the $150 million 7-Eleven wage fraud case, resulting in compensation payments to thousands of vulnerable foreign workers. Adele’s investigations are known to bring about change, including a royal commission into the financial sector and an inquiry into the $170 billion franchise sector.
Some stand-out works also include authoring best-selling unauthorised biography of Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, and Banking Bad: Whistleblowers. Corporate cover-ups. One journalist’s fight for the truth.
Throughout her career, Adele has proven her commitment to improving the protection of whistleblowers and giving vulnerable people a voice.
Connected to her commitment to the field, in 2019 Adele was commended as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This award follows her eight Walkley awards, including the Gold Walkley - the pinnacle of achievement for Australia journalists - a series of Quill awards, multiple Kennedy Awards, a Logie and the Graham Perkin Journalist of the year. Adele was previously the President of the Melbourne Press Club and recently in 2020 was appointed as a Director of the Walkey Foundation. Adele is also on the board of the Copyright Agency.
Adele holds a Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Adelaide University.
On Wednesday September 30, Adele will be joined by LBS Adjunct Professor Paul Mather in conversation about ‘media exposing the wrongs of bad corporate behaviour’ through an online webinar. The event is from 6:00pm and will include a Q&A session open to both the public and La Trobe staff and students.
This event will discuss:
- How the commission into the financial sector changed the way board directors think and act
- Perceptions on who directors are accountable to
- The role of media in exposing unethical behaviour
For more information and any questions relating to the event, please refer to the event page or contact Director of the MBA program, Dr Geraldine Kennett.
^Adjunct and Honorary appointments are an important part of the University’s structure which recognises individuals because of their considerable academic standing or expertise and experience in a certain area that is equivalent to an academic appointment at a particular level.
Media Contact: Tynique Dimcevska | +61 9479 5434 | t.dimcevska@latrobe.edu.au
