Reg Howard-Smith has extensive experience as an industry advocate and as a spokesperson who has provided representation at the highest level of government.
He was chair of the Waste Authority of Western Australia from July 2019 to July 2022, chair of the Building and Construction Industry Training Board since March 2020, inaugural chair of the Western Australian Building and Construction Consultative (BCC) Committee established by the McGowan government since June 2022, and inaugural chair of the State-first Resources Community Investment Initiative (RCII) since May 2023.
Mr Howard-Smith commenced his career with BHP in Perth. He held advocacy positions in Western Australia and Victoria in the 1980s, and was with Woodside throughout the early to mid-1990s. Mr Howard-Smith was chief executive of the Chamber of Minerals & Energy (CME) from November 2007 to July 2018 and prior to that, from 2002 to 2007 he was the director with responsibilities in human resources, occupational health and safety, education and training, immigration, skill shortage initiatives and finance.
Mr Howard-Smith is a graduate of the University of Western Australia, with a major in Economics.