Board

The MRA Board sets the strategic direction of the Authority and monitors its performance. The Board's key functions are:

Strategy
Monitoring
Risk Management
Compliance

MRA Board Profiles

Mr Richard Muirhead, Chairman

Richard Muirhead, Principal, Spiral Consulting, has extensive experience as an executive and chief executive officer for the Western Australian Government. From July 2010 to November 2011, Mr Muirhead was the State Director CHOGM assisting the Commonwealth in staging the international event and developing initiatives to promote Western Australia, assist local business and encourage community participation. Prior to CHOGM, Mr Muirhead held the position of chief executive officer of Tourism WA for 10 years and the [former] Department of Commerce and Trade from 1997 to 2001.

Mr Jeff Dowling, Deputy Chairman

Jeff Dowling, retired managing partner, Ernst & Young Western Region, is a highly experienced corporate leader with 36 years’ experience in professional consultancy. Jeff has held numerous leadership positions at Ernst & Young and his expertise centres around audit, risk and financial transactions. Mr Dowling is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He also holds board positions for the WA Symphony Orchestra and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

Cr Carol Adams, Board Member

Carol was elected as a councillor to the Town of Kwinana in May 1997, she served as Deputy from 2005-2006 before being elected as the first woman Mayor to the Town in May 2006. Carol was recently re-elected unopposed to the position of Mayor until her term expires in October 2013.

Carol holds a law degree, and has practiced law since 1998, she is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Amongst Carol’s numerous council commitments she is a member of the South West Metropolitan Zone and a WALGA State Council delegate. Carol is currently the Local Government Representative on the Standards Panel, the WA Local Government Superannuation Trustee Plan Board, and the Planning Ministers nominee to the WAPC’s Statutory Planning Committee and Infrastructure Co-ordinating Committee and national deputy chair to the National Growth Area Alliance, representing 24 outer metropolitan growth councils throughout Australia. Carol has a keen interest in improving the local image of Kwinana and economic development and planning of the Kwinana and South metropolitan region.

Ms Fiona Kalaf, Board Member

Ms Kalaf has wide-ranging business experience, working in senior executive positions for high profile organisations in Western Australia. Her qualifications include a Master of Business Administration (Advanced), a Graduate Diploma of Business (Distinction), Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Arts. Ms Kalaf also has considerable board and committee experience, including roles with the Central Perth Planning Committee, the Chairperson of the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the UWA Advisory Board to the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, the Council of WA, the Curtin University of Technology Community Leaders Forum and the Australasian Institute of Banking and Finance.

Mr Charles Johnson, Board Member

Mr Charles Johnson was the former Chairman of the Armadale Redevelopment Authority. He has a background in urban geography and town planning, with almost 30 years experience working at Local and State Government levels as well as a period in private consultancy. He is currently the principal of a planning consultancy, President of the Planning Institute of Australia (WA division) and formerly the Executive Director of Strategic Policy and Research at the Department of Planning.

Mr Nick Bruining, Board Member

Nick Bruining holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Financial Planning and is the Principal of N.C. Bruining & Associates. Also a freelance journalist, commentator and broadcaster, Mr Bruining is a current member of the Midland Land Redevelopment Committee and a former director of the Financial Planning Association of Australia Ltd.