This week's appointments include Meg O’Neill, Daniel Kiely, John Van Der Wielen, Paula Rogers, David Lock, Fiona Seaward, Jean Shaw, Craig Bydder, Peter Cutler, and Paul Anderson.
Woodside Energy chief executive Meg O’Neill will take up the CEO position at BP, and has resigned from her Woodside role with immediate effect. Ms O’Neill has led Woodside since 2021, overseeing the company’s acquisition of BHP’s petroleum assets and the development of its Scarborough gas project. Woodside’ Australian executive vice president and chief operating officer Liz Westcott will step in as acting CEO.
Daniel Kiely has been appointed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA (CCIWA)’s new chief economist. Dr Kiely comes to CCIWA from the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, where he was a senior research fellow for a decade, leading the development of many of the organisation’s key economic reports. An alumnus of CCIWA, Dr Kiely was previously part of the Chamber’s economics and policy team, working as a principal economist and policy advisor for two years from 2014. He holds a PhD in Economics and had a career in academia as an economics lecturer in Perth and Ireland.
John Van Der Wielen has been appointed chair of The Perth Mint operator Gold Corporation, succeeding Sam Walsh. Mr Van Der Wielen, previously chair of Crown Perth and chief executive of HBF, and currently the chair of ASX-listed Orthocell, will start in the role from January 1, according to Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael. The appointment puts a full-stop on former Rio Tinto CEO Mr Walsh’s long tenure at Gold Corporation, and as the state prepares to update the governance structure around the state-owned entity via the Gold Corporation Amendment Bill 2025. Mr Van Der Wielen was also appointed chair of family office Wyllie Group this month.
Outgoing Committee for Perth chief executive Paula Rogers has been appointed as the inaugural independent chair of the Queen Elizabeth II precinct leadership group, to oversee the health and medical precinct. Ms Rogers announced her exit from Committee for Perth in November, with her last day at the organisation set for late December. Ms Rogers started at Committee for Perth in 2023, replacing Marion Fulker as chief executive. She was previously state director at the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.
Former Craig Mostyn boss David Lock will replace Vanessa Guthrie as Curtin University chancellor, starting next year. Mr Lock will start as chancellor on April 1, as Dr Guthrie’s term ends in March 2026. Until recently, Mr Lock was chair at Regent Motors Group. Mr Lock sits on the board of CBH Group, Interflour Group, and Harvest Road, and joined the Australian Institute of Company Directors as a council member in mid-2025. He previously worked at Water Corporation for a decade, as acting chair, deputy chair and chairman. For almost 20 years, Mr Lock was an executive at Craig Mostyn Group including more than 11 years as chief executive and managing director.
Fiona Seaward has been appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal of Western Australia. The appointment fills the vacancy left by an outgoing judge and takes effect from 5 January 2026. Justice Seaward has been a judge of the Supreme Court general division since March 2023. Prior to joining the judiciary, she served as counsel and a solicitor with the state solicitor's office (SSO) for 22 years. Justice Seaward’s roles at the SSO included acting deputy state solicitor in the public and general litigation section and senior assistant state counsel.
Jean Shaw SC has been appointed solicitor-general of Western Australia. She becomes the first woman to hold the office of solicitor-general after being the first woman to serve as state counsel with the state solicitor's office. Admitted to practice in 2005, her career at the SSO spanned 23 years. Ms Shaw’s roles included acting state counsel, adviser to the state counsel, and senior assistant state counsel. She was appointed state counsel in November 2024. She will start in her new role on January 5, 2026.
Craig Bydder has been appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Mr Bydder had been WA’s solicitor-general since November 2023, following a 27-year career at the state solicitor's office (SSO). As solicitor-general, Mr Bydder represented the Western Australia in a number of High Court proceedings, and in matters before the United Nations Commission on international trade law. Prior to his appointment as solicitor-general, he served as a deputy state solicitor from April 2019. Mr Bydder will begin in his new role as a Supreme Court justice on January 5, 2026.
The Perron Institute has appointed two new non-executive directors: Paul Anderson and Peter Cutler. Mr Anderson is managing director and co-founder of ASX-listed regenerative medicine company Orthocell, and brings 25 years’ experience in medical product development and translating research into commercial therapies. Mr Cutler, a senior banking and finance executive with more than 30 years’ leadership experience across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Europe, is a former regional executive with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank.
Middle Island Resources has appointing Peter Spiers as chief executive officer. With more than three decades across discovery, development and corporate growth, Mr Spiers previously served as executive chairman of Konstantin Resources. He was formerly group manager of business development at WMC Resources and later founded Orbis Gold.
