Local communications and lobbying firm Cannings Purple has boosted its team by signing up former Environmental Protection Authority chairman Paul Vogel and former state Liberal leader Matt Birney.
Local communications and lobbying firm Cannings Purple has boosted its team by signing up former Environmental Protection Authority chairman Paul Vogel and former state Liberal leader Matt Birney.
Dr Vogel will join the firm as a strategic adviser and work with companies on environmental and regulatory matters.
"I am looking forward to working with Cannings Purple's clients to ensure the highest regulatory standards are well understood and exceeded,” Dr Vogel said in a statement.
"My role will include advising company boards and executives of industrial, resource projects and operations on every stage of their environmental approvals, from early project development to closure.”
Dr Vogel retired as chairman of the EPA last November after eight years in the role.
His current roles include chairman of CRC CARE, a member of the NT EPA, and a director on the Australian Technology Network of Universities - Australian Research Impact Advisory board.
Mr Birney, who has broad business as well as political experience, has joined Cannings Purple’s board of directors, with a focus on the firm’s investor relations practice.
His recent experience includes running his own government and investor relations firm, Birney Corporate, and managing the Bulls N’ Bears public company announcement platform in partnership with Business News.
Mr Birney has also been chairman of several ASX-listed companies and served as general manager at the Covs auto parts business.
He retired from politics in 2008 after becoming leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party in 2005 at age 35.
Prior to entering politics, he owned and ran an auto and industrial parts supply businesses and was a Business News 40under40 award winner.
Cannings Purple managing director Warrick Hazeldine said Mr Birney’s business network and skills would add considerable weight to the firm’s investor relations credentials.
Cannings Purple is WA’s third largest public and investor relations firm with 27 staff, according to the BNiQ search engine compiled by Business News.
It is also ranked on BNiQ as the state’s largest lobbying firm, with 15 registered lobbyists, including its chairman, former long-serving state government minister Norman Moore.
The world’s biggest communications group, WPP, is likely to emerge with a 30 per cent stake in Cannings Purple as a result of its planned merger with listed company STW Communications Group.
