Executive Team » Brenda Garrard-Forster

Manager HR Business & Corporate Services

Brenda joined Unico in March 2008 as Manager, HR Business & Corporate Services with responsibility for developing and delivering strategic initiatives that make the Unico employment experience second to none.

Brenda brings 16 years of HR experience to Unico; the majority of those years in senior HR management roles. Brenda has held both generalist and specialist roles but prefers the complexity and variety of being a generalist. She also has vast experience working across a range of countries across Asia Pacific and has worked primarily in the IT industry but also has experience in construction and relocation and data management.

Before joining Unico, Brenda worked with her husband to establish a successful asphalt construction business. Prior to that she worked for Allied Pickford’s as H.R. Director (Asia Pacific), Cisco Systems as University Relations Program Manager (Asia Pacific), Ericsson Australia as Senior Manager, Graduate & Diversity Programs, Ericsson Data Australia as H.R. Manager and also spent time working with Telstra Applied Technologies, GEC-Marconi and Rockwell Electronics Australasia.

At Ericsson Australia Brenda was instrumental in implementing paid parental leave and at Cisco she successfully implemented a consolidated approach to university relations across 11 countries in Asia Pacific. She produced the first Asia Pacific HR Strategic Plan for Allied Pickfords which helped them drive key HR initiatives across the business. She also worked with head office in the US to develop a global Talent Management System.

Brenda is a member of the Australian Institute of Management (AIMM) and is a certified professional of the Australian Human Resources Institute (CAHRI). She holds a Diploma in OH&S and an Advanced Certificate in H.R.

Brenda has a strong commitment to her local and global community and supports a range of charities such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Fred Hollows Foundation, Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, the RSPCA and World Vision to name a few.