Cipriani Wall Street
55 Wall St,
New York, NY 10005
This signature event honors the enduring vision of Sir Keith Murdoch, who established the American Australian Association in 1948 to promote deeper understanding, collaboration, and friendship between the United States and Australia.
This year, we are proud to recognize Jennifer Nason for her extraordinary contributions to business and cross-Pacific relations. Jennifer recently concluded an exceptional 39-year career at J.P. Morgan, where she served as Global Chairman of Investment Banking. As former Chair of the American Australian Association and Co-Chair of our Business Council, Jennifer has been an unwavering advocate for strengthening the American-Australian alliance.
The Benefit Dinner draws more than 500 senior leaders from business, government, and the diplomatic corps who gather in celebration of visionary individuals committed to furthering ties between our two nations. Past honorees include James P. Gorman AO, Andrew Liveris AO, Rupert Murdoch AC, Lachlan Murdoch, The Hon. Joe Hockey AC, Marillyn Hewson, Jamie Dimon, Ginni Rometty, Bill McDermott, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Rex Tillerson, and Jeffrey Immelt, amongst many others.
The evening will also highlight the impact of our scholarship and exchange programs, which have awarded over US$18 million to more than 1,100 emerging leaders across disciplines including graduate studies, the arts, veterans’ initiatives, and Indigenous engagement. Proceeds from the evening will directly support future American and Australian scholars, fostering the next generation of leaders committed to advancing our shared values across business, government, culture, and education.
We look forward to celebrating with you on October 29, as we reaffirm and strengthen the unique bond between our two nations.
All proceeds from this event directly support the American Australian Association and its Scholarship Programs – providing life-changing educational scholarships to Americans and Australians. Your participation helps open doors to new opportunities for our next generation.
2025 Honoree
Jennifer Nason
Former Global Chairman, Investment Banking, J.P. Morgan
Former Chair, American Australian Association
Jennifer Nason is a former Global Chair of the Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan, where she led the firm’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications global client practice for 25 years, focused on strategic M&A and debt and equity financing.
For nearly four decades, Jennifer has been a highly-sought financial advisor, responsible for J.P. Morgan’s key investment banking relationships with companies around the world. A trusted partner to executive teams and corporate boards, Jennifer has a deep understanding of what drives shareholder value, leveraging her years of experience and extensive global network to provide strategic counsel during pivotal moments of growth and innovation.
Jennifer joined JP Morgan in Australia in 1986 before relocating to the United States in 1989. She began her career in the Project Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions groups before serving as head of the Retail Investment Banking coverage group. In 2005, she took over the firm’s TMT group as Managing Director before assuming the role of Global Chair. As Global Chair, Jennifer sat on the Investment Bank’s Executive Committee. She was also co-founder and chair of the Investment Banking Women’s Network. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Jennifer spent three years with the Department of Management and Budget in Australia as an infrastructure project analyst.
Jennifer currently serves as a non-executive director on the Boards of Rio Tinto, Accenture, Dodge & Cox and goop Kitchen. She is an active member of the American Australian Association, where she currently Chairs the association’s Business Council after serving as the association’s Chairman. In 2015, she was a panel member for the Australian Government’s comprehensive review of the Australian financial system.
Jennifer has a double degree, B.A. and B. Com with honors in Economics, from the University of Melbourne in Australia.
Celebrating 23 years of service
Craig Chapman
Association Chair & Board Member
Craig Chapman serves as Chairman of the American Australian Association, Inc. He has been a member of the Association since 1984, on the Association’s Board of Directors since 2002 and on the Board’s Executive Committee since 2003. Born and raised in Connecticut, Craig’s first association with Australia was living with an Australian family in the Sydney suburb of Castle Cove and attending North Sydney Boys High School as an American Field Service exchange student in 1971. After completing law school at Case Western Reserve University in 1980, Craig started his career as a lawyer with Dawson Waldron, then one of Sydney, Australia’s top four law firms, where he worked for three years on a variety of corporate, M&A and other transactional matters and met his wife, Susan Manton.
Susan was born and raised in the Sydney suburb of Strathfield. Craig’s 40-year marriage to Susan constitutes his longest lasting and personally most rewarding “American Australian Association”. They have two daughters, Jane and Louise, both of whom are dual citizens, and three granddaughters, Sophie, Georgina and Beatrice. On December 31, 2022, Craig retired as a partner in the New York office of Sidley Austin LLP. Sidley is a global law firm with more than 2,000 lawyers in 21 offices around the world, including an office in Sydney, Australia. Craig joined Sidley (starting at the predecessor firm Brown & Wood) upon returning to the United States from Australia in 1983. Craig opened and served as head of Sidley’s Tokyo office from 1992 to 1995 and served as head of the Capital Markets practice in Sidley’s London office from 2006 to 2009. At Sidley, among other things, Craig served as co-chair of its Global Capital Markets practice and co-chair of its Opinion Committee. One of Craig’s primary areas of focus at Sidley was representing Australian issuers and underwriters of Australian issuers (including Australia’s major banking and other financial institutions) on U.S. securities offerings and other transactions.
2025 Partners
BENEFACTOR
PLATINUM
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Bondi Partners
IFM
Westpac
Past Benefit Dinners
