Graham Tuckwell
ANU had a huge influence on shaping my career. I knew at the time I was working towards obtaining two world-class degrees and that is certainly how my future employers viewed it.
The aim has been to create the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in Australia. The generous people behind this are Graham Tuckwell and his wife Louise.
The Tuckwell Scholarship program promotes their visionary scope and is backed by a $50 million donation to ANU—at the time, the largest donation in Australian tertiary education history. Through his impressive philanthropic gift, Graham wants to promote education as a positive transformative influence on society.
The Tuckwell Scholarships are competitive scholarships awarded to outstanding school leavers who wish to pursue a full-time single or double undergraduate program at ANU, including Honours and vertical degrees, in any discipline offered at the University.
The gift from Graham and Louise, through their Tuckwell Foundation, supports a scholarship worth more than $100,000 per student for up to five years of study.
In 2015, the Scholarship program will award up to 25 scholarships worth more than $21,700 a year to Tuckwell Scholars to cover on-campus residential costs, books and general living expenses.
Tuckwell Scholars are selected not just because of their individual potential and aspirations but to fulfil their potential to be a positive influence in society.
Graham is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ETF Securities Limited, one of the world’s largest providers of exchange-traded funds. He founded the ETFS group in 2002 and soon after launched the world’s first exchange traded commodity, when he listed gold in Australia. Soon after, he moved to London to build a global business.
After starting his career as an economist at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Graham had extensive experience in investment banking and corporate advisory work.
He is now based in the British Isles, where the company is headquartered, and travels regularly to London and New York. However, he has taken a hands-on approach regarding the Tuckwell Scholarship program and is in Canberra at least twice a year. He and Louise have taken a personal role in much of the process, including the selection of the Scholars.
Graham has repeatedly stated the importance of his university education and experience in enabling him to achieve what he has in his professional life.
