Who’s Who in 2022, Government Gurus: Toni Thornton

Toni Thornton has brought more than 20 years’ experience in corporate knowledge through directorships and working in investment markets to the Board of Millovate.

As a director of Millovate, which was set-up to create The Mill as a “destination landmark”, she is one of the key figures in the activation of around 65 hectares at the Petrie site.

In its 2021-22 annual report, Millovate said the priority had been working on a Business Plan aligning Council’s vision and deliverables for The Mill at Moreton Bay, as well as Millovate’s strategies and tactics to deliver the staged master planned development”.

The annual report said this comprised social infrastructure to support health and wellbeing; Sustainable Urban Infrastructure to attract capital; Economic Development for enterprise growth and innovation and Environmental Sustainability.

Also operating functions for Millovate; progressing the Master Plan Development Plan and Development Roadmap to guide development for the next two decades and an Interim Development Strategy for Mill Central and Mill Innovation.

The annual report says this included programs for digital telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, healthcare including a private hospital and education, which includes three new buildings for UniSC Moreton Bay.

About Toni Thornton

Toni Thornton is described as a “multicultural Australian citizen, on her LinkedIn account, having been born in Africa and lived in United States, UK and India – as well as Australia.

Her successful business career includes holding senior positions with JBWere and Goldman Sachs – for nine and seven years respectively - and being a board member of the South Bank Corporation in Brisbane helping steer its strategic direction for three years.

Ms Thornton has also been a non-executive director of the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation and Triathlon Queensland as well as director of boutique property development business Deycorp and is still a director and - according to the Millovate Annual Report - of Habitat Early Learning.

She has been a non-executive director of CS Energy since 2015, Millovate since 2020 and G8 Education since 2021 and was chair of a strategic advisory group to RSL Queensland.

Ms Thornton has, according to her LinkedIn page, spent her investment advisory career helping such as “boutique institutions, non-profit groups, and private business owners” with capital projects and business strategies.

The page says she has “strong financial acumen and diverse enterprise risk, risk and audit experience”.