Rick Newnham has been the head of digital strategy and planning at Bunnings since September 2021. Prior to that, he had a business development role at Wesfarmers and was a chief economist at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA). Prior to CCIWA, Mr Newnham was an economist for Shell around the world, including postings in Australia (Brisbane and Perth), the UK (Aberdeen) and the Middle East (Dubai).
Mr Newnham was one of the business leaders instrumental in Western Australia's successful GST campaign from 2017 to 2018. He was a trustee and state advisory council member of the Committee for Economic Development Australia, is recognised by the World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper, and an Ambassador for Australia Day.
In 2011, Mr Newnham was awarded Young Western Australian of the Year for establishing the Left Right Think-Tank, Australia’s first non-partisan think-tank of young minds.
He completed his undergraduate business studies at The University of Western Australia and postgraduate studies at Oxford University. His thesis at Oxford evaluated the economics of Uber and Airbnb’s government relations strategies worldwide for which he won the Saïd Business School prize, and he was the youngest person to have completed executive education at the Oxford Business School.
