SPOTLIGHT - Melanie Brock
Melanie Brock has lived in Japan for over 25 years having moved to Japan as an exchange student with the Rotary group at the age of 17. She was born in Albany, Western Australia, is a graduate of University of Western Australia and has a Masters Degree (Conference Interpreting and Translation) from the University of Queensland.
Melanie currently serves as a non-executive director on the boards of major Japanese corporations including Asahi Group Holdings, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Estate, and Sega Sammy Holdings. A long-term advocate for gender equality in Japan, she established the not-for-profit organization Celebrating Women in Japan and maintains a prominent voice as a media commentator, regularly featured in the Australian Financial Review, Nikkei Asia, and the ABC.
She was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia in January 2022 and received the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation in 2020.
Melanie is another example of an inspiring Australian taking a leap of faith moving overseas and becoming a huge success story.