Brian Sherman AM 1943-2022
Before turning his attention to animal protection, Brian Sherman AM enjoyed a distinguished career in business as Chairman and Joint Managing Director of the EquitiLink Group from its inception in 1981 to December 2000. EquitiLink was one of the largest independent funds management groups in Australia, with $6 billion in funds under management. Throughout his career, Brian has also been President and Director of several investment companies listed on the American and Canadian Stock Exchanges and was Chairman of Aberdeen Leaders Limited (listed).
Brian was Chair of Finance and a board member of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) in 2000. He was President of the Australian Museum Trust from 2001 to 2009 and Director of Network Ten from 1994 to 2007. In 2010, Brian received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Technology Sydney in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of society in Australia and overseas.
Brian was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia in 2004 for his service to the community as a philanthropist and benefactor to arts, education, and sporting organisations and to business and commerce. He is also the recipient of an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. Brian’s memoir, The Lives of Brian, written with A.M. Jonson, was published in 2018. Brian completed his second book, Walking Through Honey, in 2022, detailing his journey with Parkinson’s disease.
It is with a sad heart that we share the news Brian passed away in September 2022. He was deeply loved and respected, both as a wonderfully kind person and as an inspirational and effective animal advocate. He will be profoundly missed.
We were embraced by thousands of beautiful, loving messages from our Voiceless community, and we have a dedicated page to pay him tribute.
VOICELESS BRIAN SHERMAN ANIMAL LAW PRIZE
To honour the memory and legacy of Voiceless Co-Founder, the late Brian Sherman AM (1943-2022) and his lifetime dedication to animal law and protection, we are delighted to announce the inaugural Voiceless Brian Sherman Animal Law Prize.
The prize recognises the work of innovative legal advocates committed to the growth of animal law in Australia and reforming the law to promote animal rights. Reflecting the spirit of Brian, recipients must have demonstrated innovative entrepreneurial spirit and out-of-the-box thinking in animal law.
The $2,500 inaugural prize will be awarded at the Australasian Animal Law Teachers’ and Researchers’ Association (AALTRA) Conference in Melbourne on 29th November 2022 by Dr Meg Good and Dr Sophie Riley on behalf of Voiceless and Ondine Sherman.
The recipient will need to have met the following criteria:
Completed a law degree.
Actively engaged in animal law in Australia, including through advocacy, academic teaching/research and/or legal practice.
Dedicated to the growth and evolution of animal law and animal protection advocacy.
Committed to protecting and promoting animal rights through the law.
Demonstrated innovative entrepreneurial spirit, and out-of-the-box thinking in the animal law context.
The prize value will be $2,500 AUD.
Prize recipients are selected with the unanimous agreement of the prize creators – Voiceless (Ondine Sherman, Kate Grigg), Dr Meg Good and Dr Sophie Riley. All decisions are final. Voiceless Board members, former/current Voiceless staff and recipients of any animal law prizes/scholarships (whether from Voiceless or any other source) conferred in the past two years are not eligible.