Appointments June 16, 2023

Minderoo Foundation has recruited Tanya Trevisan as the company’s director of infrastructure projects. Prior to this appointment, Ms Trevisan was operating her own consulting service, using her 30-plus years of experience in property development to support and advise companies in this sector. Before embarking in freelance consultation, Ms Trevisan worked at Frasers Property Australia for two years in the role of development director. She also spent nearly 11 years at Iris Residential, serving as chief operating officer for the majority of this time and rising to general manager of development for the final seven months.

Ionic Rare Earths Limited has announced its new chief operating officer as Tommie van der Walt. Dr van der Walt has more than 20 years’ experience in the mining and resources industry delivering large-scale projects in Africa. He is set to oversee and expand the strategies for Ionic Rare Earths’ Makuutu Heavy Rare Earths Project in Uganda. Prior to joining Ionic Rare Earths, Dr van der Walt worked at EMR Capital for nearly six years as general manager of projects and studies Africa, where he was leading the Lubambe Copper Project in Zambia. Before this, he was employed at Newmont Mining.

David Hughes-Owen has been appointed as water corporation Busselton Water chief executive, effective September 4. Mr Hughes-Owen has more than 25 years’ experience in the water industry, including more than 14 years at Water Corporation. Until he transitions to Busselton Water, Mr Hughes-Owen will continue in his current employment in Tasmania as TasWater general manager service delivery. Current Busselton Water CEO Chris Elliott has retired from the water corporation after more than a decade in the role.

Long-standing SportWest chair Michael Beros has announced he will retire from the board at the end of 2023. Mr Beros joined the industry body for sport in WA as a board member in 2011 before being appointed as chair in 2013 and he has continued to be re-elected for this position by the SportWest members over the past 10 years. Since June 2018, Mr Beros has been the WA regional general manager for Hyundai Motor Company Australia.

Terri Taylor has joined Knight Frank’s Western Australian team as head of asset management services. Ms Taylor has more than two decades of experience in commercial property and has been appointed to this role to enhance the performance and service delivery of Frank Knight’s WA team. Prior to this, Ms Taylor worked at Hawaiian for more than five years, most recently serving in the role of shopping centre portfolio manager. She also worked at JLL before this.

ASX-listed vanadium developer Technology Metals Australia has appointed Jo Gaines as a non-executive director. Ms Gaines is an experienced strategic policy director and most prominently served as the deputy chief of staff to Mark McGowan from April 2012 to March 2021. Ms Gaines has worked as the Government Employees Superannuation board chair for nearly two years, and in 2022 she expanded her board experience further by joining DevelopmentWA as director and Chalice Mining as non-executive director. Ms Gaines continues to serve these roles at all three organisations.

VenuesLive WA, the operator of Optus Stadium, has announced Jean Perkins will be the company’s new head of media, communications and government relations, effective June 26. Ms Perkins has more than 20 years of experience in communications and government relations, working on project management on a range of large-scale events throughout her career. Ms Perkins has been based in Perth for most of this time, working at Cannings Purple, Telethon Kids Institute, VenuesWest and the WA government, but she has also previously held roles in Sydney and London.