Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa at the height of apartheid, growing up Colin Baillie had aspirations of being a high school teacher.
Shortly after Colin completed a Bachelor of Education and started a job as a teacher, Nelson Mandela became president and apartheid in South Africa was dismantled. Colin says this gave him the opportunity to volunteer as a teacher in squatter settlements around Johannesburg.
Colin and some friends then formed the Sparrow Educational Trust to establish specialist bridging schools and vocational trade centres across Johannesburg which helped thousands of young people complete their schooling, and in support of their work they were awarded the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Award by Nelson Mandela himself.
In 1999 Colin moved to Melbourne, Australia with his family and began a job as a consultant for an international fundraising firm, before starting his own fundraising consultancy. He joined Menzies in 2012 as Head of Development.
Colin is responsible for diversifying financial income to Menzies from philanthropic, corporate and commercial sources, his work has also extended to supporting the Bridging the Gap Foundation.
“My experience in working to achieve equality in education in South Africa prepared me for my role at Menzies - supporting equity in health and education for First Nations people in Australia. During my time at Menzies I have had the privilege of working with some of Australia’s foremost health researchers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders” Colin said.
In 2021 in recognition of his contributions to Indigenous health and education Colin was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
Outside of Menzies Colin loves spending time with his family and travelling, and is on the board of a not for profit called Salt No Limits that works to reduce poverty and homelessness amongst youth in Moreton Bay.