WA’s largest indigenous business has outlined plans for further growth and diversification beyond the Pilbara as chief executive Amanda Healy transitions to chair of Warrikal’s board.
WA’s largest indigenous business has outlined plans for further growth and diversification beyond the Pilbara as co-founder and chief executive Amanda Healy transitions to chair of Warrikal’s board.
Ms Healy has been chief executive at the mining services contractor since it was established eight years ago.
It has grown to have more than 1500 staff, making it the largest indigenous-owned contractor in the state, according to Business News’ Data & Insights.
It is also one of the largest mnining services contractors in WA, competing with the likes of Linkforce, Monadelphous, Civmec and Altrad.
The company’s chief executive from the end of the month will be David Williamson, who joined Warrikal a year ago from SRG Global as executive general manager.
He will work alongside managing director Roy Messer and executive director David Flett, who were co-founders of the business.
There will be no change to the company’s ownership, with Ms Healy continuing as majority shareholder.
Mr Williamson said Warrikal was keen to expand.
“We are probably the biggest indigenous contractor in WA, if not Australia,” he said.
“The business has been hugely successful to date but we don’t want to stop there.”
Its core business is shutdowns and maintenance work for mining companies, with Fortescue being its largest client.
Other clients include BHP, Pilbara Minerals, Covalent Lithium, Rio Tinto and Roy Hill.
Warrikal has also been expanding its work on sustaining capital projects.
“We are going to do more of what we do today with more clients across more commodities and then we will expand into new geographies and ultimately new services and industries,” Mr Wiliamson said.
“We have very big growth ambitions, well beyond WA.”
Mr Williamson said Warrikal saw itself as different from its main competitors.
“We want to be the most impactful indigenous contractor, a trusted partner to our clients and inspire other indigenous businesses to do the same,” he said.
The company believes Ms Healy’s experience has also helped to inspire female leaders to pursue opportunities.
In keeping with this goal and to honour its co-founder, Warrikal has launched the Healy Female Leadership Program.
It will focus on identifying, developing, and fast-tracking emerging female leaders across the business, with support from Ms Healy.
As a measure of its wider impact, Warrikal said that over its eight-year history, it has invested more than $20 million in partnerships, direct engagement of indigenous businesses and contributions to social causes.
Through its Tingali employment program, apprenticeships and traineeships, Warrikal has supported career pathways and professional development for Indigenous employees.
It has also funded scholarships for indigenous students through not-for-profit group Madalah.
Ms Healy is a director of Madalah – one of several groups she supports.
She is the founder and managing director of social enterprise Kirrikin, which uses Aboriginal art on clothing and shares profits with the artists.
Ms Healy is chair of Darwin-based Enterprise Learning Projects, which focuses on empowering Aboriginal entrepreneurs in remote communities.
She is a non-executive director of St John WA ambulance service, the Waalitj Foundation and Save the Children Fund and is a founding board member of WA Social Enterprise Council.
Ms Healy is also a member on the advisory council of Sydney-based indigenous careers centre Burawa and a member of the Curtin University Business School advisory board.
Warrikal is the second substantial Pilbara business Ms Healy has established.
She previously owned Port Hedland-based Maxx Engineering, which was bought by ThyssenKrupp in 2015.
Editor's Note: The next print edition of the Business News magazine, out on Monday 16 June, will include an in-depth feature on the Indigenous Business sector.
