Deborah is a recognized leader in Australia with over 35 years’ international experience in urban design, architecture, planning, and property development in both Government and private organizations, including 25+ years in management, executive, and non-executive board roles.
As a member of The Greater Cities Commission, and its precursor the Great Sydney Commission from 2016 to 2023, she contributed to shape the economic, social, and environmental future of Sydney in direct liaison with the Minister for Planning and direct engagement with communities, stakeholders, Councilors and Mayors of the City as well as senior executives of State Government agencies. Her role was to ensure future planning responds to City-wide challenges and maximizes opportunities.
Deborah has also been involved in numerous competitions and awards processes, as Chair or Jury member. Those involving working harbours include Sydney’s Eastern Darling Harbour International Competition and the Colombo Port City International Competition. In 2018 she received the Australian Institute of Architects NSW, President’s Prize, for outstanding leadership and continuing contribution in improving the design quality of cities and communities
Since 2023, she is a non-executive Board member of the New South Wales Port Authority.
Dr José Manuel Pagés Sánchez has been the Director of the Agenda 2030 by AIVP (International Association Cities and Ports) since 2016. He is an architect by training, with a Master's from Lisbon’s Technical University. His passion for port and urban development led him to pursue a PhD in Hamburg’s Hafencity University, completed in 2019, having received different grants for his research.
