Mark Beyer

A major international review has found no empirical evidence to support the corporate governance ‘best practices' supported by organisations such as the Australian Stock Exchange and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Clough is looking to move to 100 per cent ownership of its Osborne Park-based subsidiary Covus Corporation, which provides specialist underwater engineering and associated services.

Australia has a long history of entrepreneurial business leaders who stamp their personality on their companies. Mark Beyer and David Gibson examine the role of executive chairmen in light of recent controversies at three prominent WA companies.

Evans & Tate executive chairman Franklin Tate has made a passionate defence of his company's corporate governance practices and its commercial prospects.

The $11 billion Gorgon gas project has announced plans to award engineering contracts that are expected to pave the way for substantial local industry participation in the project.

Employers will face new administrative responsibilities and additional legal risks following the introduction this week of superannuation choice, which allows most employees to select their own superannuation fund.

Edith Cowan University vice-chancellor Professor Millicent Poole doesn't mince her words when talking about the impact of “biting federal reforms” on t

A start-up company formed to commercialise one of Western Australia's most promising home-grown technologies has closed down its operations after the owners concluded they would not be able to achieve commercial success.

Curtin University and the State Government have each provided a financial boost for the commercialisation of new technology developed in Western Australia.

Listed winemaker Evans & Tate expects to report a loss of between $4.8 million and $7.5 million in the current financial year after writing down the value of its wine inventory and one of its subsidiaries.

Accounting firm BDO is experiencing a generational change with the retirement of its most senior partner, Geoff Brayshaw, and the appointment of its first female partner, Michelle Shafizadeh.

The property and construction industry has created many powerful and influential Western Australians, none more so than Multiplex founder John Roberts.

The two most influential public servants in Western Australia, newly appointed Under Treasurer Tim Marney and Acting Director General of Health Neale Fong, are both far removed from the traditional image of career bureaucrats.

Takeovers of major industrial companies have thinned the pool of powerful chief executives in Western Australia.

Western Australia has 27 members and senators in the federal parliament, and while some are very good at generating headlines, there is a group of five who are clearly the most influential.

The debate over the future of Western Australia's retail sector has provided a keen insight into political and community influence in the state.

July 12 will be a major milestone in corporate Western Australia. It's the day Michael Chaney will end his remarkably successful 13-year term as managing director of the state's biggest industrial company, Wesfarmers.

Venture Capital firm Foundation Capital has confirmed it is conducting a major strategic review that is likely to result in a merger with a larger firm.

The boardroom coup at the WA Cricket Association last September was headlined by new president Dennis Lillee, but standing with him were three prominent business figures, who were also elected to the WACA board.

In contemporary government, the reality is that political advisers with direct access to ministers wield far more influence than traditional public service advisers.

Two recent Australians of the Year, Professor Fiona Stanley and Dr Fiona Wood, head the list of influential people in the field of science and technology.

Unionists, lobbyists, party powerbrokers and industry associations are just some of the many behind-the-scenes influences on government policy making.

If money equals power and influence, then Perth's prominent private business owners must rank as some of the state's most influential people.

Geoff Gallop and Jim McGinty are the two dominant figures in the Labor governments that have held power since February 2001.

This year's list of influential executives in the resource sector has two defining characteristics – it's a long list and it's dominated increasingly by multinational companies.

There have been minimal changes on the Labor side of politics since the Government won re-election at last February's state poll, but there have been enormous changes on the Opposition side.

The editor of Western Australia's only daily newspaper, The West Australian, heads the list of opinion leaders in the state.

The lean state of the Liberal Party in Western Australia following its February election loss is reflected in the small group of people wielding influence in the party.

This is the fourth year in succession WA Business News has profiled the most influential people in politics, government, business and the community in Western Australia.

This time last year, Rugby WA chairman Geoff Stooke and cricket legend Dennis Lillee were not regarded as major players in the running of sport in Western Australia; but that changed with a vengeance late last year.

John Langoulant has undergone a big change over the past year, moving from his role as under treasurer to become chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA.

The North West Shelf Venture's $2 billion phase V project, which received formal go-ahead last week, is expected to generate only half the jobs of the Venture's last big expansion.