AIDS Trust takes corporate approach

The new AIDS Trust of Australia’s chief executive officer’s fundraising experience may pertain to school and sports club needs, but with more than 20 years experience in the banking field Elizabeth Lennep is sure she can bring a fresh approach to the problem of raising money in the face of apathy.
As a former marketing and sales executive with Westpac and Citibank’s South Asian division Lennep, who replaces Nick Toonen, is keen to apply her skills as a problem-solver.
I probably should be daunted, but I’m not. To me, you figure out what the solution is and how you’re going to do it, she told Sydney Star Observer.
I think I’ve been through lots of different kinds of situations, with customers, corporations and individuals and I’ve spent my life designing products to suit them. So it really is that skill of finding out how to approach someone and how to find something that works for that organisation and how to get the tools to do that.
I’ve got two purposes: I’ve got to get AIDS back in people’s minds and get them aware we always need to be raising funds on a nationwide scale -” and that’s in both the gay and straight community.
The second issue is to raise the amount of money we get. I don’t want to have to rob from one organisation that’s already doing it, my objective is to get people to realise we need a bigger pie.
Lennep did not wish to outline any possible changes before she has met with other organisation leaders.
The AIDS Trust’s ongoing objectives will continue regardless of the change of CEO, Trust chair Adrian Lovney said.
There’s a real desire on the part of the [AIDS] councils to have a national fundraising response, he said.
Individual councils have been doing good stuff. BGF has been doing good stuff, but we need to take that national approach, particularly in an environment where HIV infections are still rising.
Nick was a great manager and a great leader and he built some really good relationships with our members which will continue to assist us.
We were really fortunate to pick up someone of Elizabeth’s calibre and energy for fundraising.
Lennep will meet with AIDS Council heads from around the country at a national fundraisers meeting scheduled for this week.