Leadership Team

Our Board

Our board and executive leaders bring diverse expertise to the organisation, bringing national and international capabilities from a range of professional and governance sectors.

They drive GAWB’s strategic direction, provide effective governance and ensure our service is provided in accordance with our company values and as a committed member of the Gladstone community.

Adrienne Ward

MAICD
Chair

Ms Ward was appointed Chair in March 2023. Ms Ward has an extensive background in corporate and government strategy, working across senior level of Government and Business for more than 20 years. Her current roles include Chair of Gladstone Airport Corporation; Non-Executive Director, RACQ Central Qld Helicopter Rescue Service; Member of The Public Transport Fares Advisory Panel, Qld; Member of The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Central Qld Committee; Adjudicator, Telstra Best of Business Awards and Ambassador for the Women in Business Awards of Australia. Ms Ward is a passionate advocate and contributor to both Gladstone and Queensland and along with her husband, owns a number of businesses in Gladstone. Ms Ward is a former Telstra Businesswoman of the Year and was also awarded The Centenary Medal in 2003 for distinguished service and achievement in business and commerce.

Suzanne Burow

B.Eng(Civil), B.EnvMan, FIEAust, CPEng, NER, APEC Engineer, IntPE(Aus), RPEQ, MAICD
Director

Ms Burow was appointed Director in March 2023. Ms Burow has more than 25 years experience working as a specialist engineer in the water sector, with a specific emphasis on hydrology and hydraulic modelling studies. Throughout her career, Ms Burow has contributed to regulatory processes and business case investigations related to water planning in Queensland. Ms Burow is a Chartered Engineering Fellow and Deputy Chair on the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland.

Tina Zawila

CA, GAICD, BBus(Acct) CQU, GradDipFinPlan Kaplan, FIML
Director

Ms Zawila was appointed to the Board as a Director on 9 December 2021 for a term of three years.

Ms Zawila has more than 30 years’ experience practicing as a Chartered Accountant and Director of UHY Haines Norton CQ Pty Ltd in Gladstone, Queensland. She successfully attained a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) with Distinction from Central Queensland University; a Diploma of Financial Planning; is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.

Ms Zawila holds non-Executive Director roles with the Gladstone Airport Corporation and the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, as well as various voluntary roles for local not-for-profit organisations in the Gladstone region.

Mitchell Petrie

Director

Mr Petrie is an experienced director and Chartered Accountant. He spent 30 years with a global accounting and consulting firm, 16 years as a Partner, leading the organisation's Queensland Risk Consulting practice as well as the national Major Capital Projects Advisory practice. Mr Petrie has extensive experience in finance, risk management and corporate governance, and is currently a director of Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Hughenden Irrigation Project Company, Fairbairn Irrigation Network Ltd and SPSL Limited (Suncorp’s retail superannuation business). He also is a member of a number of Audit Committees including Sunshine Coast Council, Bundaberg Regional Council and Redland City Council, and is an Adjunct Lecturer at Bond University

Our executive team

Darren Barlow

BCom, MBA (Adv), FCPA, FAICD, Dip Fin Serv, MAIPIO, SA Fin

Chief Executive Officer

Darren joined GAWB as Chief Executive Officer in March 2018. Darren has extensive leadership and executive experience, having held senior roles in commercial, financial, strategic and business transformation areas across the public and private sectors. Darren was previously the Chief Executive Officer of the Residential Tenancies Authority and has held a range of senior executive positions at Aurizon, Master Builders Association of Queensland and Ergon Energy.

Hugh Barbour

CPA, BBus (Acct), GAICD

Chief Operating Officer – Gladstone-Fitzroy Pipeline

Hugh has extensive experience in project development, financial management, contract management and negotiation in the mining and energy industries. Hugh has led multi-disciplinary teams in the performance review of significant assets and evaluation of acquisitions and asset improvements. Hugh is responsible for GAWB’s continued operational sustainability as a reliable water provider through the development of the Gladstone to Fitzroy Pipeline project. Hugh previously held the position of Chief Financial Officer at GAWB since March 2016.

Scott Wikman

BBus (HR & Mgmt)

General Manager – Network

Scott was appointed General Manager – Network in July 2022, following 25 years of service with Goulburn-Murray Water in Victoria. Scott is an experienced leader, holding senior asset and dam management positions for the past 15 years.

Ron Elliott

General Manager – Aquaculture Gladstone

Ron was appointed to the role of General Manager Aquaculture Gladstone in April 2022. Before joining GAWB, Ron held senior project and management roles with a multi-national contractor and major manufacturing industry in the Central Queensland region. Ron was previously GAWB’s Special Projects Manager for the construction of the Hatchery Relocation and Pikes Crossing Emergency Muster point projects.

Catherine Byers

BBus (HR)

General Manager – People & Culture

Catherine joined GAWB in June 2018, bringing with her a proven track record and extensive experience in human resource management, industrial relations, and organisational development, applied across both the public sector and Government Owned Corporation environments. Catherine’s pragmatic approach is complimentary to her twenty years of experience working at an operational and strategic level.

Petrus Botes

BEng (Mech)

General Manager – Capital

Petrus joined GAWB as the General Manager – Capital in July 2023. Petrus has more than 25 years of multi-functional asset, project and operations management experience. Petrus has demonstrated success in driving initiatives for asset and operational improvements that meet best practice safety and engineering standards. Petrus experience has been across mining, minerals processing, large manufacturing, supply chain and utility operations.

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Leadership team