Arrangements have been finalised with the Commonwealth to appoint a Project Manager for SWALSC following the departure of the former Chief Executive Officer on the 13th of October 2020.
The Commonwealth has appointed the firm Grant Thornton Australia as the Project Manager, and Grant Thornton Australia have appointed one of their Partners, Mr Anthony Beven, to act in this role.
Anthony Beven is a legal practitioner with over 20 years’ experience as a senior statutory officeholder, including ten years as Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations and eight years as an ASIC Regional Commissioner.
He has a deep knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture having worked closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, organisations and communities around Australia. He also has expertise in forensic investigation.
Grant Thornton Australia will be the Project Manager for SWALSC until at least 31 March 2021, and the arrangement shall come to an end by the mutual agreement of the Commonwealth and SWALSC.
The Project Manager shall:
a) undertake all the functions that would otherwise be performed by the CEO with respect to the Project, including in relation to director’s meetings;
b) manage staffing issues arising from the departure of former senior executives;
c) manage the transition from the outgoing to the incoming board including arranging appropriate governance training;
d) manage the transition process to a central services corporation and implement other aspects of the South West Settlement process including community and government liaison; and
e) manage the selection process and induction for a new CEO and, if necessary, work alongside that CEO for an introductory period.
SWALSC has given an undertaking to, at all times, actively cooperate with the Project Manager in good faith, and to provide all assistance, access and information reasonably necessary for the Project Manager to perform the functions they have been engaged to perform.
SWALSC Project Manager Anthony Beven