Western Power management shift

The top management ranks at Western Power are set for big changes, with expectations Energy Minister Alan Carpenter will soon announce the chief executives of its four successor companies.

He is also expected to announce that new directors will be recruited to fill the chairman positions at the successor companies, which will be formally established at the end of March.

The appointments are part of the process of breaking up the government utility into four independent companies, covering its generation, networks, retail and regional operations.

Western Power chairman Neil Hamilton and managing director Tony Iannello have ruled themselves out of contention for the new jobs.

However, they are both playing key roles in identifying preferred candidates.

A committee comprising Mr Hamilton, Mr Iannello and Office of Energy executive Anne Nolan has already made recommendations to Mr Carpenter on who should fill the chief executive jobs.

Mr Carpenter is likely to announce the new chief executives after he returns from the US next week.

Of the current management team, general manager generation John Lillywhite is considered likely to be appointed chief executive of the generation business.

There is a less certain future for the other incumbents – general manager networks Doug Aberle, general manager retail Trevor James and general manager regional Ken Bowron.

It is likely that a new recruit will be brought in to run the retail business, since this will be a new, competitive business and will require new skills and experience.

The committee is also believed to have recommended a new person to run the small, regional business, freeing Mr Bowron (who previously worked in the networks area) to move to a senior role in one of the other businesses.

A second committee, comprising Mr Hamilton, Ms Nolan and Gresham Partners director and Western Power deputy chair Jenny Seabrook, has been identifying preferred candidates for the chairman positions.

They are working with recruitment firm Gerard Daniels Australia and it is understood recommended candidates were finalised this week.

Western Power’s current directors are expected to serve on the successor boards but, due to their background or other work commitments, they are not expected to chair any of the successor boards.

The current directors include Harvey Collins and Mervyn Davies, who joined the board last September.

Mr Collins performed well during a five-month stint as managing director in early 2004, when he helped to steer the utility out of a period of crisis.

Mr Davies has 40 years’ experience in the electricity industry in NSW, most recently as general manager networks with Energy Australia.

Other current directors are former unionist John O’Connor, former Town of Kwinana chief executive Charlotte Stockwell and Alan Mulgrew, who formerly held executive roles in airport management.