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Cooper joins Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre board
THE Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) recently appointed Richard Palmer to its board of directors.
AMGC chairman Paul Cooper said Mr Palmer brought “a depth of expertise that is the perfect complement to the current team’s experience in the fields of engineering, manufacturing, and technology innovation”. 
“We are delighted to strengthen AMGC’s board with the diversity and financial expertise that Richard brings to support and develop Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector," Mr Cooper said.
“Richard joins myself, Michelle Shi-Verdaasdonk, Dr Jens Goennemann, and company secretary Sarah Boase on the board.
“As we continue to work to deliver our strategic goals, Richard will provide valuable perspectives to the board and for our members. We look forward to working with him,” Mr Cooper said.
Mr Cooper said Mr Palmer has had more than 25 years experience in a variety of board roles and has worked with venture capital funds in New Zealand, Australia and Europe. He has extensive investment management experience in the private equity sector and is the chairman of business mentoring organisation, The Executive Connection.
Mr Palmer is a law graduate from Victoria University, New Zealand, and has received a masters degree in business administration with distinction from Bristol University, UK.
AMGC chairman Paul Cooper has had 25 years’ manufacturing industry experience as owner and executive chair of Rinstrum, an industrial electronics manufacturing company. Rinstrum is based in Brisbane and actively exports to global markets with subsidiaries in the US, Germany, India and Sri Lanka.
Other board members include Michelle Shi-Verdaasdonk, the global manufacturing and procurement director at Dyson, and is recognised for her extensive industry experience. Ms Shi-Verdaasdonk has been a member of the AMGC Board since 2018 and previously held management positions at organisations including Philips Lighting, PepsiCo, Ford Motor Company and Electrolux. She has a bachelor of aerospace engineering, a bachelor of aviation science and a masters of engineering from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Jens Goennemann, the AMGC CEO, has been managing director of AMGC since 2016. He brings extensive experience overseeing large manufacturing operations in Australia and Europe. Dr Goennemann served as managing director of Airbus Group Australia Pacific and Airbus Helicopters. Before his eight-year appointment to Australia, Dr Goennemann spent six years in Germany with the former European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), today known as Airbus Group. 
He was head of the CEO’s office in Germany, and before that in charge of Soldier and Parafoil Systems within the Defence Division. Previously, Dr Goennemann spent two years in Athens where he established and managed the Eurofighter Office of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, one of the three founding partner companies of EADS. He began his career with Daimler-Benz AG in January 1996.
Sarah Boase is AMGC’s company secretary. Ms Boase joined AMGC in 2016 and oversees all board activities and company administration.
Ms Boase previously worked for Airbus Group Australia Pacific and held a board position at Safeskies Australia. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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