Our weekly appointments wrap includes Phil Thick, Fabian Ross, Rachel Griffiths, Mark McGowan, Amy Lomas, Trish Scully and Michael Walshe.
Civil engineer and experienced board director Phil Thick has joined Macallum New Energy as chair. Mr Thick has more than 35 years’ experience as a senior executive in mining, and oil and gas industries, including a 20-year service at Shell until 2006. After this, Mr Thick worked a range of senior positions including Coogee Chemicals chief executive, New Standard Energy managing director and Tianqi Lithium Australia general manager. Now, he sits on several boards, including at Patriot Lithium as non-executive director, Lithium Australia as non-executive director, and Perth Symphony Orchestra as chair.
Fabian Ross has been appointed as the chair of Centre for Stories, taking over from Jane den Hollander. Mr Ross has served as Hockey WA chief executive since 2021 and last year, he joined the board of the Western Australian Institute of Sport. Mr Ross has more than two decades’ experience in the financial sector, including former stints at WA Super as chief executive for four years, BT Financial Group for four years in a variety of roles including regional executive manager for WA, South Australia and Victoria, and GESB general manager for 3.5 years. Ms den Hollander steps away from Centre for Stories after 3.5 years as chair.
CinefestOZ has announced actor, director and producer Rachel Griffiths as chair of the screen company’s film prize jury for 2024. Ms Griffiths made her screen debut in her supporting role in the 1994 film Muriel’s Wedding. She has since been involved in variety of film projects, and most recently co-created, executive produced, and starred in ABC political drama Total Control, which first aired in 2019 and ended in February this year. Ms Griffiths was awarded an Order of Australia in 2021 for her contribution to the arts.
Former Premier Mark McGowan has landed another post-political role, taking on the non-executive chairman position at Perth-based renewables aspirant Frontier Energy. Mr McGowan, who cited exhaustion when he resigned from parliament in May 2023, has since taken up a series of private sector jobs – with the Frontier gig the latest. Mr McGowan took on advisory roles at BHP, APM Services International and Mineral Resources in the latter half of last year, alongside a position with former Liberal Treasurer Joe Hockey’s advisory firm Bondi Partners. He is also patron at RSPCA WA, and vice patron at Leadership WA and Auspire.
Accounting giant PwC Australia has appointed Perth partner Amy Lomas as its new chief economist. Ms Lomas, a former Pilbara Ports Authority deputy chair and PwC infrastructure partner and director, will now spearhead PwC’s Australian economic analysis. She brings more than 20 years’ experience across the public and private sectors, largely across energy and resources portfolios. Ms Lomas has held various high-level positions, including executive director of state development policy at the former WA Department of State Development.
Trish Scully has been revealed as the new chief executive for state government agency Landgate, commencing a five-year term from September 2. Ms Scully currently serves as Landgate general manager location services. She brings nearly 30 years’ experience to the top position, spanning across auditing, finance, strategy, project and general management.
Chemical engineer Michael Walshe has been appointed as chief executive at ASX-listed MTM Critical Metals. He transitions to this role after serving as West Perth-based Voltaic Strategic Resources chief executive, expanding his experience in engineering, operations, technology, and project development. Prior to Voltaic, Mr Walshe spent ten years at Finnish company Metso.
