Our board

Lara Olsen - Managing Director

BEng (Chem) (Hons), BArts, MBA, GAICD

Lara was appointed as our Managing Director on 17 February 2020, leading the delivery of water, sewerage and recycled water services to 1.87 million people who rely on us every day and every night. Lara is also a director of Iota, a wholly-owned subsidiary of our organisation, a director of Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) and a director on the Frankston Revitalisation Board. Lara has extensive experience in the utility sector, focused on customer experience and innovation. Before joining us, Lara was the Global Head of Business Development and Industrial Products at Tesla Energy based in the USA and also led the Business Development and Industrial Products team for Tesla Australia. Previous roles include Head of Strategy for CitiPower PowerCor and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Project Leader with the Boston Consulting Group and co-founding Billcap, an energy platform that helps customers and retailers manage their usage and bills.

Committees

• Finance Assurance and Risk Management Committee (attendee only)
• Customer Service Solutions Committee (attendee only)
• Safety, Wellbeing, People and Remuneration Committee (attendee only)

Dr. Kim McGrath - Director

PHD (PolSci), LLB, BA, GAICD

Kim McGrath is an experienced company director who was appointed to the board of South East Water in October 2015. She is Chair of South East Water's Safety, Wellbeing, People, and Remuneration Committee. Kim is a director of Iota, a wholly-owned subsidiary of South East Water. She served on the board of South Gippsland Water from 2010 to 2012 and joined VicForests Board in June 2018.

Dr. McGrath is Principal Consultant at BKE Consulting. She has provided advice to governments, private companies, universities, and not-for-profit organisations on governance, international development, energy, and climate change policy for over three decades. She was the water policy adviser to the Premier of Victoria during the millennium drought.

Committees

• Safety, Wellbeing, People and Remuneration Committee (Chair)

Arron Wood - Director

BForSc, GAICD

Mr Wood was appointed as Director of South East Water in October 2017. He is Director of Firestarter Pty Ltd, an environmental communication and education consultancy business he founded in 2001. He is a former board member of the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority and Sustainability Victoria and has previously held water and environment management roles in state and local government entities. Mr Wood holds a Bachelor of Forest Science and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Committees

• Customer Service Solutions Committee
• Safety, Wellbeing, People and Remuneration Committee

Timothy Lyons - Director

BA, DipFinSvcs, GAICD

Mr Lyons was appointed as a Director of South East Water in October 2015. Mr Lyons is a qualified and experienced company director with an extensive track record in governance, accountability and risk management. His most recent role was Assistant Secretary at the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Mr Lyons is Director at Host Plus and a member of Shareholder Advisory Board and ME Bank. He has also served on several other boards including LUCRF Super, HESTA Super Fund, The Union Education Foundation Ltd and Industry Super Australia Pty Ltd.

Committees

• Finance Assurance and Risk Management Committee
  
• Safety, Wellbeing, People and Remuneration Committee

Julie Stanley - Director

CA, CA ANZ, BCom, GAICD

Julie was appointed as a Director of South East Water in October 2021 and is Chair of the Customer Service Solutions Committee Julie is a Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has extensive experience in finance, accounting and risk management with a focus on infrastructure and energy. She’s currently a non-executive director of Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Limited (RACV) and TransGrid, the electricity transmission network operator and manager in NSW and the ACT. Julie is a former non-executive director of Regional Arts Victoria Limited and a former partner of Deloitte.

Committees

• Finance Assurance and Risk Management Committee
• Customer Service Solutions Committee (Chair)

Dr Rohan Henry - Director

PhD (Mar/Coast Eco), BSc. (Hons), MAICD

Rohan was appointed as a Director of South East Water in October 2021. Rohan is an experienced strategic adviser working across state and national water policy with previous experiences working in environmental impact assessments and approvals.  He’s a skilled Indigenous engagement and facilitation practitioner with significant experience collaborating and partnering with Aboriginal Corporations and their communities. Rohan is currently Co-Chair, Self-Determination Fund Limited (Trustee of the Self-Determination Fund), and a Director of One-Basin Cooperative Research Centre.

He also holds positions as a Commissioner (and Deputy Chairperson), Victorian Environmental Water Holder; Deputy Chair, Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Water Interests; is a member on the Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous Advisory Committee and is Chair, Maribyrnong Integrated Water Management Forum. 

Committees

• Finance Assurance and Risk Management Committee
• Customer Service Solutions Committee

Bianca Goebel  - Director

LLB (Hons), BEng (Chem) (Hons), GAICD

Bianca was appointed as a Director of South East Water in October 2023 and is passionate about protecting future generations and supporting a just and clean energy transition.

Bianca currently works in strategy with a focus on green hydrogen and batteries. She is chartered as a chemical engineer who spent her early engineering career focused on water spanning potable water, sewage treatment, water storage, and running a reverse osmosis. Bianca has complemented her technical engineering skill set with management experience as CEO of a NFP, strategy experience via working at a top tier management consulting firm and by completing an MBA, placing within the top 5% of the cohort. 

Bianca has developed her board and governance skills via completing the AICD Company Directors Course and through a variety of roles including: YWCA QLD non-executive director, CEO and Board Member (at different times) of NFP Youth Without Borders, University of Queensland Academic Board Member, Victorian Red Cross Divisional Advisory Board member, Bush Heritage Australia Safety and Operations Committee member, Co-chair the UQ Young Bell Alumni Advisory Board and Chair of the Women in Engineering Alumni Committee. 

Dr Nick Fleming - Director

BE(Hons), PhD, FIEAust, GAICD

Nick was appointed as a Director of South East Water in October 2023, having previously served on the board of South Gippsland Water. He is an experienced director, consultant, and executive director drawing on 30 years of professional experience in the private and public sectors across Australia and abroad. Nick brings a proven capability for strategy, innovation, complex problem solving, and leadership change. He has a strong social ethos and commitment to excellence and positive impact. Prior to establishing his own advisory firm Nick was Director of Business Innovation at Jacobs Group (Australia) and before that the global Chief  Sustainability Officer for Sinclair Knight Merz.

He sat on the board of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) and most recently was the National President and Chair of the Board of Engineers Australia. Nick also works with the ANZ School of Government and contributes to applied research for the circular economy as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland in the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law. 

Selina Lightfoot - Director

BArts, BLaws, GDipFinInv, GAICD

Selina is an experienced non-executive director, having held a range of directorships over the last 10 years across ASX listed, private, government and not for profit companies. Selina’s current non-executive roles include with Hydro Tasmania; Tasmania Development and Resources; TLC Healthcare (advisory committee); and holds not for profit board roles with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australia (JDRFA) and Victorian Opera. Other current and previous directorships have included roles with ASX listed companies in retail, consumer products and technology services.

Prior to commencing her non-executive career, Selina had extensive experience as a corporate legal adviser, including 10 years as a Partner of law firm Freehills (now Herbert Smith Freehills). Her areas of expertise include mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, risk management and corporate governance. 

Selina’s current and former roles have given her significant cross sector experience, including in renewable energy (including hydro generation and water management); infrastructure; consumer products; retail; professional and technology services; agribusiness; and health and aged care. She is also an experienced board committee member, with a particular focus on People & Safety and Risk. 

Selina graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and is a Graduate of the AICD’s Company Directors Course.