AWA announces Corinne Cheeseman as new CEO

Australian Water Association National President and Chair Carmel Krogh OAM has today announced the appointment of the new CEO of the association. 

“I am pleased to announce that the Board have selected Corinne Cheeseman to serve as the association’s next CEO,” she said. 

“Corinne’s significant experience in the water industry, complemented by her work in recent years on transforming companies with data are a powerful combination.”

Corinne has worked in the water industry for more than 22 years. She began her career in Sydney Water’s water quality testing laboratories and later delivered school and community water education programs.

She has worked at the association previously, joining in 2004 as the first Education Manager, and was later promoted to the executive team as the National Manager for Technical Programs. Corinne returned to Sydney Water in 2011, successfully leading a large data and analytics team for several years. 

Corinne is currently with the global firm PwC, working as a senior leader in the Data Consulting practice since joining in 2018. She has worked with numerous C-suite clients, defining and implementing their data strategies to enable their companies to transform by harnessing the power of digital technology. 

“I am honoured and privileged to be appointed as CEO and to have the opportunity to lead the peak member-based association in the water industry," she said.

"The association’s members, volunteers and staff are integral to the success of the association and I am looking forward to working closely with them to deliver Strategy’22 and beyond."

Corinne will take over from Jonathan McKeown who steps down as CEO mid-May.

“I don’t think anyone could have foreseen the current extraordinary circumstances in which we find ourselves when Jonathan announced his intentions last year to step down and we commenced the recruitment for a new CEO,” Carmel added. 

“The challenges of COVID-19 will test the resilience of all of us but I am confident that the strong and stable platform that Jonathan has set and the leadership, digital transformation and stakeholder relationship skills that Corinne brings to the role will ensure the best possible future for the association and all its stakeholders,” she said.  

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jonathan for his leadership and hard work over the past seven years. He is leaving the asociation in a good position, having implemented changes that have modernised our operations, events, publications and international standing.

“A more formal acknowledgement of Jonathan’s achievements will occur in May for his major contribution to the association over the last seven years.”