The GWMWater Board is diverse and multi-faceted, with men and women from all different working and educational backgrounds. Our Board is skills-based and appointed by the Minister for Water. It represents the varied interests of the Grampians Wimmera Mallee region.
The Board is responsible for GWMWater's management in a number of areas. The Board's central purpose is to set the broad strategy and objectives of GWMWater. In doing this, the Board also has responsibility for risk management, organisational efficiencies and compliance, reporting and reviewing.
There are also four standing committees of the Board:
- Environment and Works Committee
- Audit, Governance and Risk Committee
- Carbon, Climate and Resources Committee
- People and Culture Committee
Caroline Welsh
Caroline is a partner in Renney Farms, the family grain farm in Berriwillock. She is a former Chair and long-term Director of the Birchip Cropping Group and has provided independent Chair services for government contracts and organisations. Caroline has 30 years' experience working in agriculture communication, industry development, governance and climate variability in the public and not for profit sectors. Caroline holds advisory roles for state and federal governments. Caroline has a Master of Agribusiness (Marketing), a Graduate Diploma of Rural Resource Management and a Bachelor of Agriculture Science. She completed a Churchill Fellowship in 1998 and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Caroline is Chair to the GWMWater Board of Directors.
Andrew Nicolaou
Andrew is a recognised leader in Financial and Risk Management Reform, Governance and Performance in the Public Sector, with significant experience in large government business enterprises including the water sector, rural sector and relevant departments. Andrew has significant experience with government and private sector boards, and audit and risk committees. He has a strong knowledge of financial management, risk and regulatory frameworks. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Economics and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He is the Chair of audit committees at Department of Education, Department of Transport, Parliament of Victoria and Fire Rescue Victoria, and is a Director and member of the Audit Committee of the Victorian Funds Management Corporation.
Andrew is Deputy Chairperson of GWMWater. He is also Chair of the GWMWater Audit, Governance and Risk Committee.
David Jochinke
Born and bred in the Wimmera, DJ is a third-generation broad acre farmer at Murra Warra. A strong advocate for rural communities and the farming industry, he has held numerous significant high-profile leadership roles representing the Wimmera and Victoria. He is currently President of the National Farmers Federation, a past President of the Victorian Farmers’ Federation, a Board Member of GWMWater and current Chair of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism. David holds a Diploma of Applied Science, is a Nuffield Scholar, Australian Rural Leadership Fellow and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
David is Chair of the GWMWater Environment and Works Committee.
Elisa de Wit
Elisa is a partner in the Melbourne office of international legal practice Norton Rose Fulbright. She leads the Melbourne environment practice and is the national head of the firm’s climate change and sustainability practice. Elisa has over 30 years of legal experience and has practised in three Australian jurisdictions and the United Kingdom. Elisa holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Environmental Law and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. She is the former Chair of the Carbon Market Institute, a current Director of Beyond Zero Emissions and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Elisa is Chair of the GWMWater Carbon, Climate and Resources Committee.
Judith Holt
Jude and her husband are sheep and grain farmers in Wedderburn. She has held senior management roles in local government and the water sector for the past 30 years, and is a Board Director at CVGT Australia Limited and Campaspe Port Enterprises Pty Ltd. Jude is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, and the City of Greater Bendigo and is Independent Chair of Fosterville Gold Mine Environment Review Committee and Marist College Bendigo Finance Committee. Jude is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, has a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance, Graduate Certificate in Risk Management, a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michelle Jackson
Michelle has worked in the public sector, local government and the trade union movement. Prior to retiring from full time work, Michelle worked for the Australian Services Union (ASU) in senior leadership roles. Michelle was a member of the executive of the ASU and a member of the Finance Committee and Risk Management Committee. She has been a member of the executives of the Victorian Trades Hall Council and Bendigo Trades Hall Council. She has skills in governance, financial management, risk management, strategic planning and industrial relations.
Paul Hardy
Paul has over two decades of board experience with expertise in the infrastructure, engineering, healthcare, sport, education and not-for-profit sectors. At board level he is passionate about driving growth and performance, having led one of the world’s leading engineering, project delivery, advisory and technical services companies and advising startup companies in the pharmaceutical, health, technology, AI and social investments sectors.
He is currently a Partner at PAN Group, investing in and driving the commercialisation of startups and is a director on the boards of VicTrack and Citywide, and is a council member of the LaTrobe University Council. Previously he was the Global CEO of Aurecon, with 80 offices in 22 countries, leading a three-way merger and managing the subsequent strategy, structure and culture alignment along with the five-year strategic roadmap and overseeing multi-billion-dollar projects.
Paul holds a Master of Engineering Science and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has also been recognised by Engineers Australia as one of Australia's 100 most influential engineers (2009–2013) and was one of Monash University’s Distinguished Alumni in 2019.
Rodney Jackson
Rod Jackson is a proud Palawa and Cherbourg man, with a breadth of senior leadership experience and knowledge that bridges Government and Aboriginal Businesses.
Past roles include General Manager Operations TTLine’s MVSpirit of Tasmania, Port of Portland Chief Executive Officer and Chief Executive of four Aboriginal Organisations being Gunditjmara, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS), Wathaurong and Ngwala Willumbong. Rod was a previous member of the Aboriginal Economic Development Board, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc (VACCHO), Respect Victoria, Foodbank Victoria, President Portland Football Netball Club, YMCA, Mayors Trust Fund and Rail Projects Victoria.
Rod’s currently the Chairperson of Federation Enterprises and Barpa Construction and the Reconciliation Action Plan Senior Advisor to Consumer Law. He is also a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Advisor and Consultant on Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAP) and holds Board roles with Federation Enterprises, AFL SportsReady, Yuma Yirramboi and Court Services Victoria. Rod is a Reconciliation Adviser to Tract, Greater Western Water and has a short-term contract with Consumer Action Law Centre and is an Advisory Panel Member of the National Indigenous Knowledge's Education Research Innovation Institute at Deakin University and Stolen Generations Reparation Committee. Rod is a Board Director of the Indigenous Trajectory of the Emotional Wellbeing Institute - Geneva.
Rod is an Elder Respected Person on the County and Magistrates Courts, and volunteers with the Independent Visitor Program.
Mark Williams
Mark Williams is a Board Director and is also GWMWater's Managing Director.
