Newly created APA committee role appointed

APA has created a new position on its Executive Committee following the announcement that committee member, John Ferguson, is retiring.

Sam Pearce, APA’s current General Manager Corporate Development, has been appointed to the new position of Group Executive Networks and Power.

With Mr Ferguson’s retirement, APA has taken the opportunity to review the roles and responsibilities of its Executive Committee, resulting in the creation of the new role.

Mr Pearce will take up this role as a member of APA’s Executive Committee on 1 December 2016 but will begin working with Mr Ferguson immediately to ensure a smooth transition.

APA Managing Director, Mick McCormack, said, “As we continue to execute our strategy, and see our portfolio of complementary assets growing, there are areas of our business that sensibly fit under one Group Executive.

“Accordingly, a new role has been created with responsibility for the Networks business and additional functions including APA’s Power Assets portfolio.”

In his new role, Mr Pearce will look after the networks asset management business as well as APA’s power generation and power transmission businesses, including interests in gas-fired power stations, wind and solar energy generation assets.

Mr Pearce has extensive industry knowledge and commercial experience in both gas and power generation, with over 20 years energy industry experience across infrastructure and energy production businesses.

In his eight years at APA, Mr Pearce has overseen many key acquisition and investment decisions, including the acquisition of Epic Energy and development and full acquisition of Diamantina Power Station.

Mr Pearce has also served on several boards including GDI (EII) and South East Australia Gas (SEA Gas).

Mr Ferguson, who will step down from the committee in December 2016, is the Group Executive of APA’s Networks division – the asset management arm that manages and operates distribution networks and related infrastructure assets for Australian Gas Networks and GDI Allgas Networks.

Mr McCormack said Mr Ferguson joined APA in September 2008 as General Manager Networks before being promoted to the Executive Committee in 2012.

“He has provided APA, and the networks business in particular, with a wealth of operational experience, disciplined business practice and dedicated leadership in successfully running the Networks business over that time,” Mr McCormack said.