Delia Rickard PSM appointed chair of Ecstra Foundation as Paul Clitheroe AM steps down
Ecstra Foundation has appointed leading consumer advocate Delia Rickard PSM as chair of the board, following the retirement of Paul Clitheroe AM, who steps down after eight years.
Ms Rickard, a highly respected consumer advocate and former Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), joined the Ecstra board in 2023, following a distinguished career spanning consumer protection, competition policy and financial capability.
Prior to serving as ACCC Deputy Chair, she held senior leadership positions at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), including oversight of the Moneysmart financial education program.
The appointment marks an important leadership transition for Ecstra as the organisation builds on its long-standing commitment to improving financial capability and wellbeing in Australia, Ecstra CEO, Caroline Stewart, paid tribute to Mr Clitheroe’s contribution to Ecstra, and welcomed Ms Rickard’s appointment.
“Paul has been one of Australia’s most influential and longstanding champions of financial literacy. From his distinguished media and business career to his leadership of the Australian Government’s Financial Literacy Board, Financial Literacy Australia, Ecstra and as Chair of Financial Literacy at Macquarie University, Paul has helped ensure consumer financial literacy is firmly on the national agenda. He is a master communicator, and through his warm and approachable style has inspired generations of Australians to build their financial confidence, knowledge and skills. We are grateful for his leadership, vision and contribution.
“As we look to the future, Delia brings an outstanding combination of consumer advocacy, regulatory expertise and a deep understanding of financial capability and wellbeing.
“Delia has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for consumers and helping Australians make informed financial decisions. Her experience and leadership make her exceptionally well placed to guide Ecstra through its next chapter,” she added.
Ms Rickard said she was honoured to succeed Mr Clitheroe and build on the strong foundations he helped establish.
“Paul has made an enormous contribution to financial literacy and wellbeing in Australia, and I am delighted to follow in his footsteps as chair of Ecstra,” she said.
“Ecstra has built a strong reputation for supporting research, programs and partnerships that help Australians build financial confidence, resilience and wellbeing.
“At a time when many households are facing financial pressures and increasingly complex decisions, the importance of trusted, evidence based initiatives, system wide approaches and better access to financial education for young people as never been greater.
“I look forward to working with the team to build on Ecstra’s impact in schools, community settings and nationally,” she added.
Mr Clitheroe said it had been a privilege to serve as chair and support Ecstra’s work.
“Helping Australians better understand and manage their money has been a passion throughout my career. It has been deeply rewarding to contribute to this cause, working alongside the Ecstra board and team, and many partners over the years across government, business, academia, schools and communities. The aim has always been to make money matters practical and accessible, so that more Australians have the confidence to plan their financial futures” said Mr Clitheroe.
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About Delia Rickard
Ms Rickard PSM is the former deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, serving from 2012 until her retirement in January 2023.
At the ACCC Ms Rickard’s work spanned the consumer data right, digital platforms, energy, enforcement and compliance, product safety, ACCC’s Financial Services Competition Board, and chairing the ACCC’s market study into the cost of insurance in Northern Australia.
Ms Rickard’s public service experience includes senior roles at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and she is currently a director of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
Her advocacy on product design, safety and scam prevention has included effective public awareness raising to alert Australians to the rise in sophisticated scams and the devastation scams can wreck on individuals and households.
At ASIC, Ms Rickard oversaw development of the Moneysmart website, the leading financial information resource for Australian consumers, and was a member of the ASIC advisory panel into school banking.
Ms Rickard is a trustee of the Jan Pentland Foundation, a director of Super Consumer Australia, Financial Counselling Australia (FCA), ID CARE, the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) and the Consumer Policy Research Centre.
In 2022, Ms Rickard was announced as the inaugural winner of the Law Council of Australia’s Consumer Rights Award, in 2017 she received the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award and was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2011 for her outstanding public service in the development of consumer protection for financial services.
About Ecstra Foundation
Ecstra Foundation is committed to a future where people can achieve their best financial wellbeing. Ecstra invests in partnerships, programs and people to provide effective financial education at key life stages and to improve community financial capability and wellbeing.
Its flagship financial literacy program, Talk Money with Ecstra Foundation, ensures more Australian students have access to effective money lessons and guidance when they need it. Talk Money is the largest school-based face-to-face financial education program offered in Australia.
Since launching in 2022 Talk Money has engaged 1,622 schools, delivered over 13,200 workshops with more than 530,000 student bookings and continues to expand to schools nationally.
Links:
Ecstra Foundation 2025 Impact report
Talk Money with Ecstra Foundation Impact report
For more information please contact:
Ecstra Foundation
Jo Morgan, Head of Marketing & Communications
M 0437 045 086
jo.morgan@ecstra.org.au
PritchittBland Communications
Claudia Pritchitt
M 0438 221 550
claudia@pbcommunications.com.au
