The West Australian Symphony Orchestra board has announced the appointment of Craig Whitehead as chief executive officer. Mr Whitehead will take over from Keith Venning who has been chief executive for the past five years. Since June 2006, Mr Whitehead has been the general manager of West Australian Opera and prior to that was the general manager of La Boite Theatre Company and Roundhouse Theatre in Brisbane for eight years. WASO said that, with the principal conductor and artistic adviser Paul Daniel starting at the beginning of 2009, the appointment of a new chief executive marked an exciting time for the orchestra.