The Board
Chair
Jennifer Westacott AO B.A(Hons) GC.B FAICD
As the long-time Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia and former senior public servant, Jennifer brings formidable insight into the workings of the private and public sectors to advance the Authority's mission.
Jennifer built her career in the public sector, working in senior leadership positions in the NSW and Victorian governments.
She has served as the Director General of the NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources; the Secretary of the Victorian Department of Education and Training; and the Director of Housing in Victoria.
She was also the Deputy Director General of the NSW Department of Community Services, and the Deputy Director General of the NSW Department of Housing.
While a senior partner at KPMG, Jennifer advised major corporations on climate change and sustainability and advised governments across Australia on significant reform priorities.
Since 2013, Jennifer has served as a Non-Executive Director of Wesfarmers Limited.
Deputy Chair
Geoff Roberts AM
B Nat Res (Hons), M App Sc (Res Mgt) FAICD
Geoff Roberts AM was appointed as Chief Commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission in April 2020. Prior to this, Mr Roberts served as the Deputy Chief Commissioner and Economic Commissioner from late 2015.
He has 35 years of experience in Australia and internationally working on city strategy, governance and leadership. Over his career, Mr Roberts has been involved on behalf of governments and the private sector, in the key economic challenges and opportunities facing cities. He has a deep history in decision-making around the delivery of integrated land use and infrastructure programs.
Mr Roberts led the negotiation of the Western Sydney City Deal on behalf of the NSW Government and played a pivotal role in this tri-government agreement reached in March 2018 between the Australian Government, the eight councils of the Western City and the NSW Government.
In February 2019, Mr Roberts was appointed as a member of the board of the Western City & Aerotropolis Authority. He also served as Chief Coordinator of the Western City from May 2018 until November 2019.
The NSW Government, in November 2019, appointed Mr Roberts as Head of Global Relationships for NSW Treasury. He supported the delivery of international trade and investment strategy and enables a focused, collaborative and proactive approach across the government when engaging with top-tier investors both foreign and domestic. In April 2021, Mr Roberts became the Chief Investment Officer for Investment NSW, the state’s newly formed agency driving new business, jobs and tourism for NSW.
In June 2019, Mr Roberts was made a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service to urban planning and development. He also was the Planning Institute of Australia’s National Planning Champion for 2019 and in September 2019 was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by Western Sydney University in recognition of his work at the Commission.
Mr Roberts currently holds an Adjunct Professorship position in the City Futures Research Centre at the University of New South Wales. He is a passionate practitioner of collaboration and a regular public speaker.
Board
Mark Binskin AC
CPL GD.M.S GAICD
Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin (Ret'd) is a highly decorated and respected senior executive and leader in the national security, defence and aerospace sectors, most recently as Chief of the Defence Force of Australia from 2014-2018, and earlier as Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2011-2014) and Chief of Air Force (2008-2011).
He is currently Deputy Chair of the Airservices Board, Deputy Chair of the Sir Richard Williams Foundation, on the Boards of the Western Parkland City Authority and the Australian International Military Games (Invictus Games Sydney 2018) and is Non-Executive Director Defence and National Security Policy with BAE Systems Australia.
Air Chief Marshal Binskin (Ret’d) has provided specialist advice to the highest levels of governments, industry leaders and international stakeholders and his aerospace knowledge and expertise is extensive.
Anthea Hammon
Anthea Hammon is the Managing Director of Scenic World, a third-generation family business which has been operating in the Blue Mountains since 1945. Anthea has played a leading role in the company’s evolution with a strong focus on investment and sustainable tourism.
She has led the company through a strong period of growth, including more than $90 million in major investments in the last 20 years, and established Scenic World as a world class tourism attraction with strong appeal in international markets, with more than 1.1 million visitors per year prior to the pandemic.
More recently, Anthea has shifted gears in response to the global pandemic, with a focus on delivering a scaleable business model that appeals to domestic visitors based on events and new product development.
Anthea has held a number of volunteer board positions across her career including AALARA (Australia Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association), and BMEE (Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise). She is currently the Chair or the Standards Australia ME51 Committee which looks after the developments of Safety Standards for the Australian Amusement Industry, and is actively involved in the tourism sector as the Vice President of Blue Mountains Tourism, which recently secured a $2.6million bushfire recovery grant to drive tourism recovery In the Blue Mountains.
She is a Director of Scenic World’s parent company Hammons Holdings, which also operates BridgeClimb on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and sits on the Board of the Western Sydney Airport which is slated to open in 2026.
Mark Steinert
BAppSc (PRM), G Dip App Fin & Inv (Sec Inst), F Fin, GAICD
Mark Steinert is a non-executive director and company advisor with 35 years of experience in Australia and internationally. Recognised for his strategic and commercially focused advice and collaborative leadership, Mark has acted for various commercial enterprises across real estate asset management, urban development, infrastructure, civil construction, financial services and digital health and wellbeing.
Mark has previously held the positions of CEO and Managing Director of Stockland (an ASX Top 50 Company), President of the Property Council of Australia, Director Green Building Council of Australia, a Property Champions of Change member and SGP Risk and Compliance sub Committee attendee.
As Stockland CEO Mark had capital allocation responsibility across a $15bn real estate portfolio including retail town centres, logistics, workplace, retail, residential and retirement living, with a focus on creating mutually beneficial outcomes. Mark has a strong emphasis on Board governance and processes, strategy definition and execution, technology and sustainability (ESG).
Mark also has significant cross-border experience in research, corporate restructuring, financing and capital issuance having been Head of Equities Australia and NZ for UBS, Global Head of Real Estate Research for UBS, Global Head of Research (Equities & Fixed Income) UBS and Global Head of Product Development and Management for Global Asset Management at UBS, a $559 billion Global Fund Manager.
Mark is a member of the WEM Advisory Board, an advisor to a number of start up companies and a member of the St Andrew’s School Council.
Gabrielle Trainor AO
LL.B M.A FAICD
Gabrielle is a non-executive director and advisor whose experience covers 25 years on boards in the public and private sectors ranging from infrastructure, urban development, public transport, tourism, construction and mining contracting, hospitality, to sports, arts and culture and the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Her background is as a lawyer, newspaper journalist, public sector executive and a long career as a consultant in issues management and public policy.
Gabrielle’s current appointments include as a director of Infrastructure Australia, the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (Vic), Zurich Australia Limited, OnePath Life and One Path General Insurance and the Board of Trustees of Western Sydney University.
She is a commissioner of the AFL and Sport Australia and she chairs the National Film and Sound Archive and the Construction Industry Culture Task Force. She is a trustee of the Charlie Perkins Trust and a director of listed investment company WAM Global.
- WPCA Board Charter | November 2022 (PDF, 180 KB)