Our Board

Southern Rural Water has nine board members, including the Managing Director and eight non-executive directors.

The chairman and non-executive directors are appointed by the Minister for Water; the Managing Director is appointed by the board.

Our directors are:

Our Board

Ms Diane James AM

Chairman

Diane James AM is a business consultant and company director. Her career includes establishing two start-up businesses and serving on numerous State and National boards. She is also Chairman of Goulburn-Murray Water and a former director of Barwon Water. Diane was a founding director of GenU, a national disability, ageing and lifestyle services organisation and was Chairman of the Victorian Coastal Council for 12 years. She was also a member of the EPA of Victoria Advisory Board. In recognition of her contribution to the environment and natural resource management, Diane was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011. She is an accredited leadership coach, holds a Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She was appointed to the board on 1 October 2015.

Mr Terry Swingler

Deputy Chairman

Mr Swingler has vast experience in the water industry having held senior roles as Yarra Valley Water’s General Manager Finance and Company Secretary (1995-2012) and Corporate Secretary with Melbourne Water (1986-1995). He has also been a Director of Equipsuper Pty Ltd (2012-2016) and the Victorian Government’s nominated Director on the Joint Government Enterprise Ltd (trading as Water for Rivers) (2012- 2015). Mr Swingler has a Diploma of Business (Accounting) and is a Fellow of CPA Australia, Governance Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Swingler was appointed to the board on 1 October 2013.

Ms Naomi Cleary

Director

Ms Cleary has extensive experience in the property sector. She is the former Chief Financial Officer of the Elmstone Property Group, and a current director of SANB Valhalla, a property investment vehicle. Ms Cleary is a director of Sport Climbing Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Business Studies and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and and CPA Australia. Ms Cleary was appointed to the board on 1 October 2015 and represents SRW on the VicWater board.

Mr Angus Hume

Director

Mr Hume holds qualifications in education and company directorship. He is the Chairman of the Victorian Catchment Management Council, and formerly Co-Chairman of the Gippsland Lakes Coordinating Committee, Chair of the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) and Chair of NRM Regions Australia. Mr Hume has a strong understanding of natural resource management through his South Gippsland dairy farming experience and Landcare membership, with the Department of Primary Industries, and as a past CEO of WGCMA. He is also a past board member of the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. He was appointed to the SRW board on 1 October 2017.

Ms Peta Maddy

Director

Ms Maddy has a background in water engineering and management including her current role as an associate at the consulting firm Aither. She is a past President of the Victorian branch of the Australian Water Association and came to SRW from Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water where she was for two years and chaired its Water Resources Committee. She chaired the interdepartmental reference group for the Victorian Rural Drainage Strategy and is currently a member of the Victorian Catchment Management Council. Maddy has a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, a Bachelor of Science (Pharmacology and Toxicology) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She was appointed to the SRW board on 1 October 2017.

Mr Michael Malouf

Director

Mr Malouf is a director of Malouf Management Services Pty Ltd and is a Sessional Member at Planning Panels Victoria. He is also the chair of the Kardinia Park Stadium and was a Director on the Western Victoria Primary Health Network. During his career, he has held CEO positions at Melbourne, Geelong and Wyndham City Councils, was the CEO of the Carlton Football Club, held executive roles for Pratt Holdings, and was the Managing Director at Barwon Water. More recently he was the CEO at VicRoads. Michael has a Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Civil Engineering and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Institution of Engineers, and the IPAA. He was appointed to the board on 1 October 2015.

Ms Michelle Murray

Director

Ms Murray was appointed a director of the board on 30 April 2019 and she brings extensive management consulting, leadership and project delivery experience to the SRW board. She is also a director and chairperson of the board of Knox Basketball Inc. Michelle has held previous executive director and secretary roles at CBUS Industry Super and Hawthorn Citz Junior Football Club. She has a Bachelor of Science, Maths (Hons), from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia USA, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mrs Naomi Pye

Director

Mrs Pye is a dairy farmer at Bessiebelle. She is a director of the Gardiner Dairy Foundation (appointed 2016) and was a director of the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (2006 – 2011) and has previously held board and committee roles with the Victorian Farmers Federation (1999 – 2007), WestVic Dairy Regional Development Program of Dairy Australia (2000 – 2006) and Australian Dairy Farmers (2005 – 2006). Before her appointment to the board of Southern Rural Water, she was a member of the Southern Groundwater and Rivers Forum, a customer consultative committee of SRW. Mrs Pye has a Diploma of Teaching and an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture; she is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mrs Pye was appointed to the board on 1 October 2011.

Mr Cameron FitzGerald

Managing Director

Mr FitzGerald has two decades of professional experience with 14 of these years in the water sector. Having successfully delivered high profile transformative programs across the sector, Mr FitzGerald is committed to driving outstanding outcomes for Southern Rural Water’s customers and local communities. Mr FitzGerald has worked at EPA Victoria, KPMG, City West Water and Melbourne Water and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) with Honours from the University of Melbourne. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Board Bulletins

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning provide a governance framework for the water industry to assist directors, executives and staff.