Alan Schwartz AO

Biography

Alan Schwartz’s professional life has transitioned from “entrepreneur and business builder” to “active investor, philanthropist and social activist”.

Alan’s passion for business and commerce has always been balanced with a deep commitment to family and community. His hunger for knowledge and his curiosity have broadened and enriched his life. During his legal professional practice year, he started the first of a long series of entrepreneurial ventures. All but one, (maybe two) were successful. For 30 years Alan created, acquired, built, managed and sold a number of successful businesses in industries as diverse as publishing, software and professional services. In 2005 Alan sold his legal publishing and software business, Anstat Group, to an ASX listed company. Today Alan is the Chair of Trawalla Group which he founded with his wife Carol.

Trawalla Group is the Schwartz Family Office and includes Trawalla Capital, Trawalla Property and Trawalla Foundation.

About

Over the years Alan has enjoyed the complex satisfaction of contributing to the not-for-profit sector. He contributed to the creation of Jewish Care, a merger of Jewish Community Services and Montefiore Homes, and was appointed its inaugural President, Life Member and Capital Appeal Patron. Alan is the past Chair of Philanthropy Australia and was recently appointed Life Member.

Alan and his wife Carol Schwartz established the Trawalla Foundation in 2004 as a vehicle for the family’s philanthropic activities. In recognition of his contribution to community and business, Alan was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2003, appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2007 and an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in June 2023.

In 2017 Alan established the Universal Commons Project to “Reform political and economic institutions so that profit and value are aligned, and business and capitalism serves the common good”. In 2023 this initiative morphed into the Transition Accelerator, an organisation dedicated to scaling commercial climate solutions.

Alan graduated from Monash University with degrees in Economics and Law (Honours) and during his first year at Monash co-authored a best-selling economics textbook, The Australian Economy.

Alan is married to Carol, is the father of four magnificent children and eight times a grandfather.