Our weekly appointments wrap includes Josh Zimmerman, Naomi Flutter, Dean Mudford, Eve Drain, John Stephenson, Sybrandt Van Dyk and David Tsai.
The West Australian political reporter Josh Zimmerman would be taking up a new post in September at the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia as senior communications adviser. Mr Zimmerman has covered state politics for The West Australian and The Sunday Times for more than six years. Before this, he worked as deputy editor south at community newspaper Perth Now.
Major charity Telethon Kids Institute is to be chaired by Naomi Flutter, succeeding high-profile Julie Bishop, as the organisation prepares to roll out a new name and strategic plan. Ms Flutter is executive general manager corporate affairs at Wesfarmers, a senior role she has held since 2018 after spending two decades as an executive with Deutsche Bank based in Sydney. She also sits on the council of private school Scotch College and recently finished 10 years on Australian National University's council, including seven as pro chancellor serving under Gareth Evans and then Ms Bishop.
Experienced property executive Dean Mudford has been appointed to the helm of DevelopmentWA for a five-year term. Mr Mudford has been acting chief executive for almost two years at the state's land development agency. He also previously served as chief operations officer at DevelopmentWA, and formally held roles at Mirvac, Stockland and Caversham Property. He is a former vice president of the Property Council of Australia WA and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Environmental scientist Eve Drain is set to commence a three-year term as the state government’s appeals convenor in September. Ms Drain has worked at BHP for five years, most recently serving as principal portfolio strategy and development. She previously worked a stint at BHP from 2013 to 2016 following one year as Fortescue Metals environmental specialist.
Former Essex County Cricket Club boss John Stephenson has been appointed as WA Cricket chief executive. Mr Stephenson formerly spent 17 years in a range of roles with the Marylebone Cricket Club based at Lords, a venue regarded as the ‘home of cricket’. He will begin with WA Cricket a few weeks out from the domestic cricket season.
Austin Engineering has announced David Singleton’s successor, appointing non-executive director Sybrandt Van Dyk as managing director and chief executive from July 1, 2025. Mr Van Dyk, who presently works as president of ASX-backed Perenti’s drilling services division, will undertake a two-month handover period with Mr Singleton, which will begin on May 1. Mr Singleton was initially a non-executive director from 2019 to 2021, before transitioning to interim chief executive following the departure of Peter Forsyth.
David Tsai will become president and group chief operating officer of Crown Resorts from August 1, after serving as Crown Perth chief executive since late 2022. Mr Tsai’s new role includes responsibility for oversight of Crown operation across its Australian resorts. He takes more than two decades’ gaming and hospitality industry experience with him. Mr Tsai started at Crown Perth in December 2022, moving to Australia from Michigan, where he was the Midwest group president of MGM Resorts International for almost three years. Prior to MGM Resorts International, Mr Tsai was the president and chief operating officer at MGM Grand Detroit and MGM Northfield Park. Mr Tsai has been with MGM Resorts for more than 15 years.
