Appointments

Premier Colin Barnett has congratulated retired University of Western Australia vice-chancellor Alan Robson on his induction into the WA Science Hall of Fame.

Peter Martino has been appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court of WA, after fifteen years in the District Court of WA, the past five as chief judge.

Jill Thomas has joined Platform Communications as an investor relations specialist.

Network connectivity and data centre facilities supplier Nextgen Group has appointed Shermin Oksuz as WA account manager.

Manjusha Thorpe has been made executive officer, capacity building project at the Australian Grains Institute.

Spookfish has appointed Stuart Nixon as a strategic advisor to lead the company’s business development activities in Europe.

Havilah Legal has appointed Chris McDuff as a partner in the firm’s Perth office.Mr McDuff was previously a dispute resolution partner at an interstate law firm.

Boutique Perth funds management firm NWQ Capital Management has appointed Stephen Kennedy to its investment committee.

Infrastructure, construction and services group Whittens has appointed Dario Amara as chairman.Mr Amara joined Whittens as a non-executive director in August last year.

Fiona Stanley Hospital chief executive David Russell-Weisz has been appointed director general of the Western Australian Department of Health.

Perth-based mineral sands producer Iluka Resources has created a new senior executive role to focus on two growth opportunities involving new technology in the UK and Brazil.

Board changes

Joondalup-based SEQTA Software has appointed Tim Simkiss to the newly created role of chief operations officer.Mr Simkiss previously worked at South Africa’s Standard Bank.

Strategen Environmental Consultants has appointed contaminated sites expert Philip Bourgault as principal.

Karl van Olden has joined CSA Global as manager – mining based out of the consultancy’s Perth head office.

Gold Road Resources has appointed Sim Lau to the newly created role of development manager on the Gruyere project.

Churchill Consulting has appointed Michael Karam as a consultant.Mr Karam specialises in supply chain and organisational change management, and previously worked at Accenture.

Bill Munro has replaced Roz Baker as chairman of the Prostrate Cancer Foundation of Australia WA branch.

Kathy Smith has been made regional franchisee for Fastway Couriers Perth.Ms Smith previously owned and operated a large supermarket franchise.

Steve McWhirter has joined insurance broker Marsh as managing principal.Mr McWhirter was previously a founding partner of SBA Insurance Brokers. 

Former Department of Agriculture and Food executive director Terry Hill has been appointed acting chief executive of the Pilbara Development Commission, following the resignation of Ken King after

Deloitte has appointed Amanda Wheeler as a director in its WA government and public sector team.

BGC Contracting has appointed Stewart Hart as executive general manager – finance and strategy, and Barry Bloch as executive general manager – project support services.

Resource Development Group managing director Jeff Brill has stepped down from his executive role as the mining services group looks to cut costs.

Board changes

Former prime minister Julia Gillard has been made patron of Curtin University’s John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library.

Recruiting group Socius has appointed Dominic Black as a principal recruiter.Mr Black was previously a national director for QPL. 

The Meridian Global Foundation has appointed Alex Kempthorne and Branden Dekenah as board members.Ms Kempthorne is managing director of her own boutique marketing consultancy, Magnetize.

BHP Billiton chief executive officer Andrew Mackenzie has been awarded an honorary doctorate of science by Curtin University, in recognition of his contribution to the field of geochemistry and for

Resource governance start-up Resource Governance International has appointed Matt Mullins as subject matter expert, responsible for setting up and chairing the RGI advisory board.

Platform Communications director Kirsty Danby has joined the board of SolarisCare, a community-based charitable healthcare organisation that runs cancer support centres.

Tim Nayton has been appointed general manager health care at Amana Living.