Jim Tolhurst, BComm, MBA Qld, FCPA, FCIS is currently Chairman of Queensland Airports Ltd (QAL), a regional airport specialist with an emphasis on creating significant regional airport development in Queensland.

QAL is a 100% Australian owned, Queensland based company and owns and operates Gold Coast, Townsville and Mount Isa Airports.  As part of its portfolio of aviation support businesses, QAL also owns the Northern Australian Aerospace Centre of Excellence (NAACEX) in Townsville and Aviation Ground Handling (AGH) which has a significant presence at Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast Airports.  QAL has also been appointed to provide specialist technical airport services to Cairns and Mackay Airports by the purchasing consortium, which includes JP Morgan, The Infrastructure Fund (TIF) and the Westpac Banking Corporation.  QAL is assisting with the integration phase of the Airports after working with the purchasing consortium through the bid and settlement process.

Jim is also a Director of Adelaide Airport Ltd, and a Director of Blair Athol Coal Pty Ltd.  Blair Athol Mine, located 20 km north west of Clermont in Central Queensland, supplies customers in Asia and Europe with up to 12 million tonnes of thermal coal per annum.

Jim is a Fellow of CPA Australia; the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has been a member of the Council of CQUniversity Australia since 2004.  He is the Chairman of the University's Audit, Compliance and Risk Committee.  This Committee assists Council to fulfil its oversight responsibilities for the University's performance, risk management and internal control frameworks; the performance of the Internal and External Audit functions; the integrity of the University's financial reporting processes; the application of good corporate governance principles; and ensures the University's compliance with legislative requirements.

After commencing his career as an Accountant for commercial organisations, Jim spent a number of years working for the United Nations in New York and Vienna, before returning to a position at The University of Queensland, where he soon became Bursar, a position he held for twenty four years.

During this period Jim was involved in the establishment of Unisuper, which is now one of the largest superannuation funds in Australia.  He was a Director of this organisation for nine years.  He was also Chairman of the award winning University of Queensland Press for sixteen years and was involved in a number of other University companies.