City West Water has appointed a new General Manager of Strategy and Planning, a long-time employee of the company.
Richard Smith, who has been acting in the role since March 2020, will continue to lead the development of City West Water’s business strategies and plans to deliver on its vision of being an exceptional service provider that puts customers first and benefits the community.
Mr Smith holds degrees in engineering and science from the University of Melbourne, and is a trained chemical engineer and economist who has worked with regulated utilities over a number of years in both Australia and the US.
Having worked across various roles since joining City West Water in 2012, Mr Smith’s experience includes significant involvement leading the 2018 Price Submission and being involved in cross-sector collaborations on billing, water resources, regulatory frameworks, infrastructure access arrangements and long-term planning for the west.
City West Water’s Managing Director, Maree Lang, said the appointment highlighted the organisation’s ongoing commitment to identifying and developing exceptional talent.
“We have outstanding people on our executive team, and I congratulate Richard on his permanent appointment as General Manager of Strategy and Planning,” Ms Lang said.
“This role includes delivering on a range of business plans, identifying and implementing innovative solutions to customer problems, and effectively communicating and engaging with our customers and community.
“I look forward to working together to continue developing and delivering customer-focused plans, strategies and projects that sustainably deliver services that our customers value, as well as provide the strategic direction needed for long-term success.”
