Former Skilled Group executive David Timmel has been appointed to the top job at Perth Markets, the newly formed company that has acquired the Perth Market Authority’s Market City.
Mr Timmel joins Perth Market as chief executive after serving in his previous Melbourne-based role as chief operating officer of Skilled’s workforce services division.
He was also formerly state manager of Landmark WA between 2004 and 2009, and held various senior positions at Bankwest between 1983 and 2004.
Perth Markets chairman Paul Omodei said the appointment had been made following a robust and thorough national recruitment process.
“We are happy to have secured David’s services to take on what is an important role for Perth Markets,” he said.
“We are confident that, in David, we have appointed a skilled and experienced senior manager who brings an outstanding track record across the agribusiness and corporate sectors – one who is ideally placed to lead Perth Markets and guide its growth as it moves into its next chapter as the new owner of Market City.”
Perth Markets, an industry consortium led by the Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries in WA, won a bid to purchase Market City from the state government for $135.5 million after being named the preferred bidder for the Canning Vale site in December.
The consortium, which also comprises Brisbane Markets, Adelaide Produce Markets, United Crate Co-operative and ASX-listed Rural Funds Group, expects to officially take ownership of the asset by the end of the month.
Mr Timmel’s appointment was announced alongside the introduction of directors David Schirripa, Andrea Lemmon and Miro Lendich, who are each representatives of Perth Markets’ consortium partners.
Mr Omodei said Perth Market’s immediate priority following settlement would be to ensure a smooth transition from public to private ownership for growers, wholesalers and retailers.
“We will also be making two further appointments to the board in the coming weeks, which will further strengthen what is already an experienced and passionate leadership team,” he said.
