The Committee for Economic Development of Australia has appointed Perth media figure and Rugby WA spokesman Tom Baddeley, as its new WA state director.
Mr Baddeley replaces Lisa Scaffidi, who gave up her CEDA role last month after being elected Lord Mayor of Perth.
Mr Baddeley has degrees in Arts and Law from the Australian National University, and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the University of Technology Sydney.
He worked as a lawyer before moving into journalism for the West Australian newspaper and the ABC, where he presented both Stateline and the ABC TV news bulletin.
He has also written a regular column for the WA edition of The Australian.
For the past two-and-a-half years he has worked as Rugby WA's manager of media and communication.
As CEDA state director, he will develop CEDA's WA membership base, run CEDA's program of public policy and business conferences, forums and other events in WA and be part of CEDA's national leadership team.
CEDA chief executive officer David Byers said Mr Baddeley had the knowledge of WA business and public policy issues to expand CEDA's work even further in WA.
"I am confident that he will contribute strongly to the national team and I am delighted to welcome him to CEDA," he said.
Mr Baddeley says he was thrilled to be offered the CEDA role.
While he has enjoyed his time at RugbyWA and the Western Force, Baddeley says he has been looking for an opportunity to again work with WA's business community and the state's decision-makers, and CEDA is the perfect vehicle.
"I was ready to go the next step and find a new challenge, and getting involved in CEDA's program of policy development and debate seemed to be an opportunity too good to miss," Baddeley says.
"Lisa Scaffidi has done such a fantastic job building CEDA's fine reputation in this state, and I hope to maintain that momentum.
He will start in his new role on 29 January 2008.
