The managing director of a Melbourne water corporation has been tapped as the next SA Water CEO.
David Ryan, who currently leads City West Water (CWW), will take the reigns at SA Water on 11 November. His appointment comes after previous CEO Roch Cheroux left the business in September to take up the top job at Sydney Water.
Prior to joining CWW in 2016, Ryan was Executive General Manager, Service Delivery at Melbourne Water. He has extensive industry experience and is a current director and past president of the Institute of Water Administration and a VicWater board member.
South Australian water minister David Speirs said Ryan’s appointment marks the start of an exciting chapter for the utility, as it works to lower water prices, make infrastructure more reliable and open reservoirs for recreation.
“SA Water is an organisation that has taken considerable steps towards improving its culture, business practices and customer service in recent years,” Speirs said.
“Mr Ryan’s appointment gives us the opportunity to take this to the next level, driving further improvements and innovations, while always striving for best practice in all that we do.”
SA Water services more than 1.7 million customers, from Mount Gambier in the state’s south east to Leigh Creek in the north and Ceduna on the far west coast.
Ryan said he is looking forward to leading an organisation with such a varied customer base.
“SA Water’s role in delivering water services across urban, regional and remote areas at such great scale is unusual in the water sector, and this reach provides an incredible opportunity to have an impact on a truly diverse group of customers,” he said.
“Water services make a vital contribution to everyday liveability, from the basics of public health through to urban cooling and recycling water to expand primary production. While we continue to ensure supply is resilient in the face of a changing climate, we must do so with affordability and reliability at front of mind.”
SA Water General Manager Assets, Operations and Delivery Mark Gobbie has been acting CEO in the interim.
