Carps joins Wesfarmers corp affairs team

Wesfarmers has appointed former Premier Alan Carpenter to head up its corporate affairs team, replacing Keith Kessell who had come out of retirement to fill the role on an interim basis following the resignation of Mark Triffitt in late August.

Mr Carpenter, a former ABC and Channel 7 journalist and leader of the Labor party until defeated in the state election last September, will take up the position of executive general manager on the corporate affairs team in early December.

He will be responsible for the group's external affairs activities including media relations, government, community contribution and sustainability reporting directly to Wesfarmers managing director, Richard Goyder.

Wesfarmers said Mr Carpenter will work closely with Mr Goyder, other senior executives at the corporate office in Perth and with the group's operating businesses on a wide range of issues.

Mr Goyder said Mr Carpenter is a very talented person who, as a senior Minister and Premier, made a significant contribution to Western Australian public life.

"I am looking forward very much to working with him in the post-politics phase of his career," Mr Goyder said in a statement.

"His knowledge of government and policy development, combined with his pre-politics life as a senior journalist, will be of great value to Wesfarmers."

Mr Carpenter said he was extremely pleased to be joining a "highly regarded" company like Wesfarmers.

"I think most Western Australians, whether they are investors or not, have a very high regard this company," he said.

"This is probably because Wesfarmers has earned a deserved reputation as a company that has not only achieved sustained business success but is also respected for its integrity and community commitment.

"I have great admiration for its present and past leadership and I am very excited about becoming part of that team."