Perth business executive Kellie Benda has been appointed to the board of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, as the fund opens a permanent Perth office.
Perth business executive Kellie Benda has been appointed to the board of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, as the fund opens a permanent Perth office.
Ms Benda will take the three-year non-executive director role on the board to provide advice on how the Nation Reconstruction Fund Corporation can better support investment into priority areas of WA.
She has previously held senior executive and director positions within RAC WA, Emeco Group, Origin Energy and AGL Australia, and sits on the board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
In December 2023, Ms Benda was appointed to the board of the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Her appointment comes after the federal government committed to opening a permanent Perth office for the Corporation, at the request of WA Premier Roger Cook.
The role of the NRFC is to invest in Australian businesses and projects which sit within seven priority areas, to help boost Aussie manufacturing capability, grow a skilled workforce and diversify our economy.
Those priority areas include resources; transport; medical science; defence capability; renewables and low emission technologies; agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and enabling capabilities.
Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic said Ms Benda’s appointment recognised how vital WA business was to a strong national economy.
“With 255,400 Western Australian businesses driving productivity and growth for the nation, we know there’s rich opportunity for the NRFC to drive further growth within the state,” Minister Husic said.
“Ms Benda’s knowledge and skills in leadership, finance and strategic planning paired with a comprehensive understanding of the Western Australian corporate landscape make her a valuable addition to the NRFC board.”
Ms Benda said she was honoured to contribute to the NRFC mission.
“I look forward to leveraging my diverse experience to support initiatives that drive innovation, sustainability and economic resilience,” she said.
