Angela Emslie, the chair of HESTA, has become the new president of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST).

Emslie has been a director of AIST since 2007, during which time she has represented AIST on the Strong Super Governance Working Group and helped its fund governance and educational guidelines.

One of her ambitions in the role would be to see greater recognition for the role trustees play.

“I would like to see trustee directors recognised for the important role they play as trustees and custodians of members’ retirement incomes and the skills and experience required that are distinct from the role of a company director,” she said. “The ongoing roll out of AIST’s trustee director course will be an important part of achieving this.”

Tom Garcia, chief executive of AIST, praised Emslie’s enormous experience in the sector, her thought leadership and for being a “passionate advocate for the equal representation model and delivering the best outcomes for members”.

Emslie replaces Cate Wood, who served in the role of AIST’s president for the two year term and will remain on the AIST board as deputy president.

Wood had been a key driver of AIST’s advocacy work on improving the retirement outcomes of women and low income workers during her term as president. She had also played a pivotal role in developing and promoting AIST’s trustee director course, the Super Springboard scholarship program for women and work on ways to improve access to superannuation among indigenous Australians.

Gerard Noonan, chair of Media Super, has stepped down as deputy president, but will remain on the board and as chair of the AIST policy and governance committee.