Justin McGowan
Chief Executive Officer
With significant international trade experience, Justin was appointed to the leadership role to drive Queensland’s investment and export future.
Justin McGowan has held Senior Executive roles within the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and is an accomplished diplomat. Most recently, he led the Capability Taskforce driving Australia’s Foreign and Trade capabilities to meet future challenges and deliver economic potential.
He was previously Australia’s Commissioner General to the World Expo in Dubai for four years (2017 to 2021), facilitating engagement opportunities for government representatives, business councils, investors and entrepreneurs across most markets and sectors.
In previous roles, Justin has held senior leadership positions a range of private sector companies, has delivered on major global programs with the Department of Defence and served in the Royal Australian Navy on numerous operational deployments, including enforcing United Nations sanctions in the Middle East.
He has been awarded the Australian Active Service Medal, Australian Service Medal (Solomon Islands), Operational Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Australian Defence Medal and the Maritime Commander Australia Commendation.
Mr McGowan holds a Master of Management and Graduate Certificate in Management from the Australian National University and has studied at Melbourne and Harvard Kennedy Business Schools and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Toni Brownie
General Manager of Study and Migration Queensland
As General Manager of the Study Queensland and Migration Queensland Division at TIQ, Toni is responsible for the delivery of the Queensland International Education and Training Strategy, the Queensland State Nominated Migration Program and the Skilled Workforce Attraction Office, an action under the Queensland Workforce Strategy. Toni is a passionate advocate for attracting global talent to Queensland, maximising the international student experience and the potential of our migrant workforce to support Queensland’s future growth potential.
Previously General Manager, International Operations for Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) for six years, Toni was responsible for leading Queensland Governments global network across 19 offices in 14 international markets, working with clients, stakeholders and international communities to deliver trade and investment outcomes for Queensland.
Toni joined TIQ from City of Gold Coast, where she was Manager of Economic Development. In this role, she led the team that delivered a collection of the city’s most significant portfolios, including Economic Development, International Trade and Investment, City Marketing, and Tourism, including delivering Trade 2018, the business program associated with the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.
Prior to joining City of Gold Coast, Toni held a number of senior leadership roles in Christchurch, New Zealand including as COO for Recover Canterbury, a post-earthquake business recovery organisation and with Canterbury Development Corporation the City’s Economic Development Agency.
Matt Rigby
Chief Operating Officer
Matt Rigby was appointed Chief Operating Officer in August 2023, taking responsibility for Trade and Investment Queensland’s Finance, Human Resources, Information and Technology, Facilities, Governance and Procurement divisions.
Matt has more than a decade of experience in senior leadership roles across Queensland Government having also worked at Queensland Health, Metro South Hospital and Health Service the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Queensland Police Service.
He is an accomplished leader with demonstrated performance in customer focus, change management, government relations, stakeholder engagement, strategy, project management, and governance.
Matt has been awarded the National Emergency Medal (NTH QLD 2019 and TC DEBBIE 2017) and the Queensland Police Service Medal (15 Year Service). He holds qualifications in Hospitality Management and worked in the industry prior to commencing with the Queensland Government in 1997.
Anna Fedeles
General Manager, International Operations
Anna Fedeles was appointed as General Manager of International Operations in November 2023.
Over the past 20 years, she has held senior roles inside government and private organisations, with a focus on international trade, investment and education.
Anna was most recently Australia’s Consul General in Frankfurt and Austrade’s Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner responsible for Germany, Switzerland & Poland. In this role she was instrumental in building demand for Australian green hydrogen and critical minerals. As Consul General, she was also responsible for delivering Australia’s consular crisis response during COVID-19, including managing government-assisted Qantas repatriation flights.
She was previously Deputy Consul General and Trade & Investment Commissioner Dubai, with a special focus on Australian education and technology across the Middle East and Africa. Anna has held several internationally focused roles including managing Austrade’s operations in Italy; heading strategy teams in Austrade’s trade and investment divisions; creating an Australian tourism investment attraction program; developing start-up programs for Australian tech companies; running WWF’s climate action campaign Earth Hour; and managing student recruitment promotions across 35 countries for Australia’s largest education agent IDP.
Anna holds qualifications in international relations from the University of New South Wales.
Maria Karatzis
Executive Director of Strategic Engagement and Communication
Maria was appointed Executive Director of Strategic Engagement and Communication in May 2023, previously leading development, implementation, monitoring and reporting for the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training’s stakeholder and communication strategies. She also led the department’s strategic partnerships and events activity, as well as media, social media, and digital communication strategy.
Maria’s experience in strategic engagement and communication within government services has supported her leading key programs and initiatives that have contributed towards the overall enhancement of public service delivery mechanisms in Queensland.
Maria championed the needs of the state’s small businesses leading to the formation of the revitalised Queensland Small Business Advisory Council, and the development of the $8.76 million Small Business Wellness package.
She’s worked closely with local, state, and national stakeholders on small business recovery efforts following the 2019 Monsoon Trough in North Queensland and was integral in the department’s engagement with small businesses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maria also led the delivery of the 2022 Queensland Workforce Summit which informed the development of the Good Jobs. Good People: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-2032.
Maria holds an Advanced Diploma of Management, Advanced Diploma of Project Management and a Diploma in Business Marketing.
Denise Kreymborg
General Manager, Queensland Operations
Denise is an award-winning business professional with more than two decades’ experience in industry development, regional economic development, and business strategy. She has a strong track record in grant attraction, industry marketing, and investment strategies.
Prior to joining Trade and Investment Queensland, Denise was CEO of Whitsunday Economic Development Ltd, where she led organisational change and regional economic development. Her major achievements included negotiating area-specific access for Whitsunday businesses to New Zealand export markets, attracting $12 million in funding, and leading innovative change programs that enabled local businesses to grow and diversify.
Denise has also held roles as an industry development manager under Horticulture Innovation Australia’s industry development program, and as a regional business advisor for various state and local government authorities. She is a passionate, practical, effective advocate for Queensland’s regional businesses and communities.
Denise holds an MBA in entrepreneurial management and a range of other management and business qualifications. In 2012, she won the AUSVEG National Industry Contribution Award for her work in gaining market access and advocating for a national agenda on workforce development in horticulture.
Michelle Matthews
Global Investment Commissioner, Global Investment Attraction
Michelle Matthews joined Trade and Investment Queensland in January 2020, was appointed Director, Global Investment Attraction in May 2022, and has been Acting Global Investment Commissioner since 1 July 2024.
Prior to this, she spent two years in Biofutures Queensland, Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning where she managed a pipeline of industrial biotech opportunities aligned to the Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan.
Michelle has formal business qualifications and over 15 years public sector investment attraction experience, having joined Queensland Government’s Invest Queensland in 2008.
Previously Michelle worked for 11 years promoting Queensland for international conferences in her senior roles at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and Brisbane Marketing, working with academics across various sectors.