Board and Team

CHAIR’S REPORT (cont)

I would also like to welcome Kerry l’Anson, a skills based board member with broad experience in the visitor economy and business. She will be a welcome addition with a strong marketing, strategy and risk management background that will be advantageous to us. All three positions are subject to approval at the AGM by our stakeholders. I want to acknowledege the time and effort placed in this board selection process by Greg Roberts (as Chair), John Dalton (MRT Director), Tracey Squire (Deputy CEO Business Growth & Continuity, Albury City), Natalie Phillips (Executive Director Tourism and Events Strategy and Reform DJPR) and Stephen Mahoney(General Manager Engagement and Development DNSW). Mark Francis, our CEO, recently left the organisation after more than 10 years with us. During his time as CEO, Mark’s accomplishments are numerous and immense. I would like to focus on a few. First, he led the organisation, its people, and its stakeholders, through an extraordinarily difficult time with the pandemic delivering a range of unique challenges. Second, he has collaborated with our Murray River community to ensure the range of infrastructure and products across our region is something we can all be truly proud of. Third, his leadership and focus on integrated and future-focused marketing and communications activities have helped grow awareness of our region and create new opportunities. Mark has worked tirelessly to ensure our cross-border entity has supported local councils and business operators to welcome visitors across the region. His collaboration all along the river has ensured strong growth in our visitor economy with a fabulous and innovative range of products and experiences that make us all so proud. I had the pleasure of working beside Mark for nine years and he has been an extremely loyal, hardworking and passionate CEO. We will all miss you greatly Mark, but know that you go into your next adventure in life with our very best wishes. Will Flamsteed has stepped into the role of Interim CEO until Christmas to ensure a smooth transition as we work through a recruitment search process for a new CEO. We are fortunate to have someone of his calibre fill this role in the short term.

Will comes to us with many years of experience and a strong understanding of the visitor economy, having been past Executive Officer with North East Regional Tourism Board, CEO at Grampians Tourism, and more recently Chief Development Officer at Sovereign Hill Outdoor Museum. The board is currently working through the process to recruit a new CEO with the support of an executive search company.