Samay Zhouand is the Public Trustee of Queensland and Chief Executive Officer at the Queensland Public Trustee and currently serves as President of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Queensland. He is widely recognised as a principled and progressive leader, committed to strengthening trust, integrity, and confidence in public administration.
With more than two decades of service in the Queensland Government, Samay has held senior legal and executive roles across complex and high- consequence portfolios. He was Chair of the Incident Oversight Committee at Queensland Corrective Services and, as Queensland’s longest-serving Chief Inspector of Corrective Services, led national-first reforms that enhanced transparency and accountability in custodial environments, setting new standards for oversight and governance.
Since his appointment as Public Trustee, Samay has driven a transformation to create a more customer-centred and socially responsible organisation. His leadership has delivered governance reforms, strengthened ethical frameworks, and introduced sector-leading initiatives that empower vulnerable Queenslanders to exercise greater choice and independence. These include:
• Establishing the sector’s first Customer Advocate, ensuring the voice of customers informs decision-making and service design.
• Embedding Latrobe’s Supported Decision-Making Framework, enabling clients to participate meaningfully in decisions about their lives.
• Launching a Financial Independence Pathway, providing tools and support for customers to build capability and autonomy.
He is recognised for working effectively in complex environments, fostering collaboration, and achieving outcomes that strengthen public trust and institutional resilience through a focus on integrity, innovation and impact.
Samay holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Business Administration (Public Policy), alongside advanced qualifications in governance and investigations. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was admitted as a Barrister- at-Law in 2002. Beyond his executive role, he contributes nationally as a Director on the Board of the Australian Guardianship and Administration Council.