Mr Simon Kupec, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice-President

Simon Kupec is the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice-President at Monash University.

As Chief Operating Officer, he is accountable for ensuring all portfolio operations and services align with the strategic goals of the University and that they consistently deliver value by focussing on continuous innovation and improvement. Simon is also responsible for overseeing and managing the University’s links with associated organisations, such as the Monash Club and Monash Student Organisations (on non-academic matters). He also leads the University’s crisis management function and fulfils the role of protected disclosure coordinator for Whistleblower, Privacy and Ombudsman investigations.

Prior to his current role, Simon served as Executive Director, Campus Community at Monash University. In this position Simon was responsible for the broad range of community-focused and student-centric programs and services delivered by Campus Community Division (CCD) across the University’s Australian locations, including Monash Residential Services, Counselling and Psychological Services, Disability Support Services, Safer Community Unit, Student CARE Services, Monash Sport, Performance Representation and Engagement Programs, Non-Residential Colleges, English Connect, Chaplaincy and others.

Simon joined Monash in 2018 as the University’s Director of Community Safety and Security, with responsibility for managing and responding to behavioural risks and critical incidents, achieving success in implementing and leading an integrated University-wide safety and security service.

Driven by a deep appreciation for the importance of community support and engagement, Simon has strived to manage complex student matters and critical incidents, and deliver contemporary and innovative services, in a sensitive, thorough and professional manner. Through his strong operational and strategic leadership, Simon has cultivated a reputation for developing and leading high-performing teams. From 2019 to 2023, Simon also served as a College Head for Monash Residential Services, at the South East Flats and subsequently Holman Hall.

Before joining Monash University, Simon undertook a range of roles across the South Australian and Queensland legal professions, including in criminal law, commercial law and inquisitorial litigation. His six-year appointment as counsel assisting the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) involved the conduct joint major crime investigations with the Queensland Police Service, of which the conduct of coercive hearings was a key component. For his work on the successful conclusion of Operation Avow, a 1974 cold case homicide investigation, Mr Kupec was awarded the Queensland Police Commissioner’s Certificate (Operational) and was a finalist in the 2017 Queensland Premier’s Awards for Excellence (Performance).

Simon holds a Master of Business Administration, Boston University, USA; a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Society of South Australia; an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Laws (1st Class), University of Adelaide; is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia and of the High Court of Australia. Outside of the University, Simon spends his spare time in the outdoors hiking, cycling, kayaking and mountaineering.