AFAC appoints a new CEO

Late last year, the Board of Directors of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) announced that Mr Rob Webb would take over from Mr Stuart Ellis AM as CEO of AFAC.

ALANA BEITZ

AFAC

On 13 December 2021, Rob Webb made the move from Director, National Projects and Innovation, and Program Director for the Australian Fire Danger Rating System, to the new AFAC CEO.

He takes over from Stuart Ellis AM, who recently retired after almost 10 years at the helm, at a time when AFAC is making great strides in fire safety, diversity and improvements to mental health.

Mr Webb is an experienced leader in the emergency management industry, with 26 years at the Bureau of Meteorology. He is a former Deputy CEO, who led the Bureau’s state and national multi-hazard service delivery during some of Australia’s worst disaster events.

He specialised in extreme weather services from the mid-1990s and since then has forged strong partnerships with the emergency management sector at local, state and Commonwealth levels.

His expertise stretches from bushfires to thunderstorms, floods to heatwaves, tropical cyclones to tsunamis. He has liaised with all levels of government, the community and the media during some of Australia’s largest disasters.

He has extensive experience in meteorology, disaster management, disaster communications, service development, operations management, change management and risk management.

Mr Webb is looking forward to continuing to work with the many dedicated AFAC staff to support AFAC Members and the broader emergency management sector to achieve AFAC’s vision of integrated fire and emergency management that supports resilient communities.

“I remain passionate about playing a major role in reducing the social and economic impacts of disasters in Australia by empowering communities and businesses to make the right decisions at the right times,” he said.

“I care deeply about the work I’ve done and treat seriously a lifetime vocation focused on keeping our community safe.”

On behalf of all the directors, staff, members and AFAC stakeholders, the AFAC Board welcomes Mr Webb to the role and looks forward to working with him.

Read more from AFAC CEO Rob Webb on pages 42–43 of this edition of Fire Australia in his ‘Perspectives from the Sector’ interview.