The Cranbrook Foundation was established to facilitate the interaction between Cranbrook School and external support helping to promote the future of our School.
The Cranbrook Foundation was created in 1974 to ensure the advancement of Cranbrook. It is a company limited by guarantee, and administered by its Board of Directors. The Cranbrook Foundation’s day-to-day activities are supported by the Director of Development, a member of the Cranbrook School staff and Executive Team.
We rely on the generosity of our community to go beyond and to ensure a reciprocal benefit that sees our School, its quality of education and its legacy remain robust and secure.
Since its inception, the Cranbrook Foundation has been directly involved in the development of new and bold directions to improve Cranbrook School. We are committed to optimising all aspects of our School to ensure that each of our students can discover their potential.
B Comm (Accounting and Finance) (UNSW), Grad Dip App Fin & Inv (FINSIA)
Sam has worked in investment banking in Sydney, Hong Kong and London. She was President of the Cranbrook School Parents Association in 2023 and 2024 and was also previously President of the Ascham School Parents’ Association. Sam is deeply involved in community work including as a Long Service Member of North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club and as an official with NSW Surf Life Saving.
Sam has two sons – one in the Senior School and one who is a recent Old Cranbrookian. Her brother is an Old Cranbrookian.
Sam was appointed as a director of the Cranbrook Foundation on 28 October 2024, and was appointed Chair on 13 February 2025. She was appointed to the School Council as a director in 2023.
BA.LLB (Syd)
Anthony is a lawyer who worked for Clifford Chance based in Paris for over 24 years, between 1971 and 1994, including 20 years as a partner in the firm’s global partnership. He managed the Clifford Chance Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for two years and then practised in Singapore, before returning to Australia in 1997 to manage KPMG Legal Sydney’s Construction and Infrastructure Group. He founded Anthony Abrahams Lawyers in 2003.
Anthony was Vice-President of the Association France-Australie, in Paris, throughout most of his years in France, and a member of the Board of Australia France Industrial Round Table. He was a member of the NSW Board of the French Australian Chamber of Commerce from 1998 until 2015.
Anthony was awarded an AM on Australia Day 2020 for services to Australia-France relations and to the legal profession, as well as for his leadership of a stand made during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s by seven Australian International Rugby players against the continuation of sporting ties between Australia and apartheid South Africa.
Anthony joined Cranbrook School in Pre-school and graduated in 1962. His father and brothers also attended Cranbrook as did a number of his nephews. Anthony was the Old Cranbrookian of the Year in 2015.
Anthony was appointed as a director of the Cranbrook Foundation in 2015.
BBus (La Trobe)
Leigh Birtles is a Founder and Senior Partner of LGT Crestone Wealth Management and provides investment advice to ultra-high net worth families, family offices and professional organisations. Leigh is currently a trustee of the St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation since 2020.
Prior to LGT Crestone, Leigh worked at UBS Wealth Management as an investment advisor and Executive Director for over 15 years and prior to this worked at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
Leigh was a Development Committee Member of the Western Sydney Wanderers Foundation from 2023 until May 2025.
Leigh has two sons attending Cranbrook Junior School.
Leigh was appointed as a director of the Cranbrook Foundation in 2025.
BA (Sydney), LLB (Hons) (Sydney), Dip Applied Finance (SIA)
Vanessa is currently Managing Director of AGP Capital Management Australia, part of the AGP Sustainable Real Assets Group.
Vanessa previously held senior roles in Hong Kong with then NYSE listed Nord Anglia Education, a leading operator of international primary and secondary schools globally, in operations, corporate finance and investor relations. Her experience also includes working for Minter Ellison as a lawyer, before employment with Bank of Scotland in Sydney and Hong Kong.
She has two sons attending Cranbrook in the Senior School and her nephew attends Cranbrook Junior School.
Vanessa was appointed as a director of the Cranbrook Foundation in 2023 and was Chair from 13 June 2023 to 13 February 2025. She was appointed to the School Council as a director in 2023.
Diploma in Computer Programming, CPTI
Marty is the President of the Old Cranbrookians’ Association Inc. (OCA).
He is an agribusiness entrepreneur, and a director of Titan Ag, a division of Elders Limited. He co-founded Titan Ag in 2006 and has continued to manage the business since its acquisition by Elders in 2018. Marty also has business focussed on cotton, grain and kiwifruit production in northwestern New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
Prior to establishing Titan, Marty worked for 16 years in the software industry.
As well as being an Old Cranbrookian himself, Marty has a son in the Senior School.
Marty is the OCA’s nominee to School Council and was appointed to the School Council as a director in 2023.
Marty was appointed to the Cranbrook Foundation as director in 2025.
BSc (UWA)
Emily works for the United Nations Children’s Fund – UNICEF as Chief Philanthropy Officer for Australia.
She has over twenty years’ experience working in marketing, brand, fundraising and partnerships for organisations including the Football Association in London, HSBC Bank in Sydney and Godolphin in Dubai.
Emily has a son in the Senior School.
Emily was appointed as a director of the Cranbrook Foundation in 2023.
Bec BCom (UQ), Dip Applied Finance (SIA), CFA
Doug has over 18 years’ experience as an equities analyst and accountant and is currently the Chief Investment Officer at GCQ Funds Management.
He has three sons attending Cranbrook: one in the Senior School and two in the Junior School.
Doug was appointed as a director of the Cranbrook Foundation in 2023.