Role of the Board

A key role of the Board is to ensure an appropriate high level of corporate governance is in place within Gippsland Water.

To achieve this, the Board's activities are focused on:

• developing a culture of accountability across all areas of the organisation;
• developing strategy for implementation by the authority's management team;
• ensuring appropriate policies are in place for all areas of the business; and
• providing effective guidance and leadership for staff.

The Board is able to achieve these key activities through:

• a high level of reporting tot he Board and stakeholders;
• fostering a culture of corporate governance, compliance and accountability; and
• identifying and pursuing opportunities for improvement.

Gippsland Water Board

Richard McDowell - DBus. (Accounting), FCA, FTIA, Reg. Tax Agent and Reg. Company Auditor (Chairman)

Richard has for the past 31 years been a Director of Duesbury's Gippsland Accountants and also holds directorships and is involved with the financial management in a number of private companies.

Richard has over 12 years' experience in the water industry through his previous role as Deputy Chair of East Gippsland Regional Water Corporation and his membership of the Audit Committees of both East Gippsland and Gippsland Water corporations. He has also been involved with local government, hospitals, and Gippsland Ports Authority.

Richard lives in Maffra, has two adult daughters and is an active member of many Gippsland community groups.

Leah Young - BBus, Grad Dip Bus, FAICD, AIMM (Deputy Chair)

Business management and strategic planning are Leah's key areas of contribution to the Board. Leah has held a position of Business Manager at St Paul's Anglican Grammar School since 1996. Leah has lived in Gippsland all her life.

Prior to her position at St Paul's, she has had more than 12 years' experience in local government, holding senior positions in key areas such as financial and corporate planning, capital works development, administration and human resource management.

A keen traveller and mother of two young children, Leah is also currently appointed as Director of Westernport Water.

Professor Alan Seale - B. Eng (chem), FIEA, MAICD

Honorary professor Alan Seale brings to the Board skills in process technology, project development and environment health and safety management. He worked in the chemical industry for 38 years, 13 of those in general management. Alan also worked for several years in Hong Kong.

Since leaving the chemical industry, Alan has been a consultant to the CSIRO, EPA Victoria and several universities and chemical companies. He is an Honorary Professor at Monash University teaching in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Clayton.

Alan is currently Chairman of City West Water Limited and Alan was appointed to the Board of Gippsland Water in November 2003.

Peter S Wilson - AM BComm (Hons) MA (Melb) CFPA FAICD FAHRI

Peter Wilson is the National President of the Australian Human Resources Institute.

Until last year, Peter was the Executive General Manager of Human Resources and Operating Risk Management with AMCOR, a position he held for seven years. Before this role, Peter was the ANZ Group General Manager for 10 years, reporting to the CEO Don Mercer in a number of portfolio areas.

He also held senior positions with the Commonwealth and Victorian public services, including Director General of the Department of Industry, Technology and Resources.

Peter is also a member of the Board of Yarra Valley Water Limited. In 2003, Peter was invested a Member in the Order of Australia (AM) for services to workplace safety and community service. Peter holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Victorian Government's Inquiry into the Rural Rail System which is chaired by Tim Fisher AC.

Brendan Jenkins

Brendan Jenkins is the immediate past Member for the State Seat of Morwell District in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Victoria. He served as a councillor in the former City of Moe prior to the amalgamation of Victorian councils and then as councillor on the City of Latrobe.

Brendan was elected as Mayor of the City of Latrobe three times between 1998 and 2002. He was a member and deputy chair of the inaugural Gippsland Water Board. Brendan was the Secretary of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council for much of the late 1980s and 1990s.

He has been Chair of the Gippsland Local Government Network, a member of Gippsland Development Ltd., the Coal Corporation of Victoria, Latrobe Regional Hospital, and a number of other local and regional organisations. Brendan grew up in Moe where he lives with his wife, Susan and their two children.

Janice van Reyk, M Comm, LLB (Hons), BA, MAICD

Janice has a broad based senior executive experience in industrial companies including BHP Billiton, CSR, Macquarie Bank, National Foods, and Orica.

She now works as a sustainability consultant and is completing a Master of Environment at the University of Melbourne.

She is a Leadership Victoria Fellow and her former directorships include Victorian Arts Centre Trust and Australian Pork Limited.

David Mawer, Managing Director

David has extensive experience in senior management roles in electricity, gas and water utilities, in both the public and private sectors.

He is a metallurgist with a Master of Sustainable Management (MSM)(U.Syd) and a MBA (Henley). He was a director of the Gas Marketing Company of NSW for four years from 2002 and is a former Managing Director of Westernport Water. David is a member of the Australian Water Association and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).