One of Australia’s peak construction bodies has elected a woman to the top job for the first time in its history.
The Australian Construction Association has appointed Annabel Crookes as president. She takes the position after serving on the ACA board as vice-president since 2019 and company secretary since 2020.
Currently working as legal director, executive director and company secretary for Laing O’Rourke, Crookes said she was keen to help the industry become more resilient.
“I am looking forward to working with the members of the board to continue the path of reform required to achieve a resilient and sustainable industry—especially in the areas of procurement and improving the culture, health and wellbeing of our workforces,” she said.
Achieving better representation and gender balance was on her priority list.
“Three years ago, the ACA board was made up of 20 male chief executives from similar backgrounds,” Crookes said.
“In April 2019, the board took a bold and courageous step to introduce co-directors, with each company having a male and female representative to change the dynamic of the board.”
Crookes was also a founder of the 2018 Construction Industry Leadership Forum.
ACA chief executive Jon Davies said the appointment showed the cultural change the association wanted to see in the industry.
“A key challenge with the lack of representation in our industry is that you can’t be what you can’t see,” Davies said.
“Just 12 per cent of the construction workforce are women.
“Today’s election builds on the decision taken three years ago to increase female membership on the ACA board.”
The news comes as two other key female figures in the industry make plans to move on.
Mirvac chief executive and managing director Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz announced in early October this year that she would step down from the role at the end of the 2022-2023 financial year.
“It was not an easy decision however it is the right time to hand over to the next leaders of Mirvac to guide the group through its next phase,” Lloyd-Hurwitz said.
She was appointed chief executive and managing director in 2012, making it a decade in the role.
Prior to the role, she was managing director at LaSalle Investment Management and is currently a Business Council of Australia director, NSW Public Service Commission Advisory Board member, INSEAD Global Board member, Australian Museum Foundation trustee and the past Green Building Council of Australia chair.
Alison Mirams, currently helming former Multiplex owner Andrew Roberts’ company Roberts Co as chief executive will leave the role in February 2023.
Mirams is known for pushing for cultural change in the industry including the change from a six-day to five-day work week to safeguard workers’ mental health, increase productivity and workplace safety and encourage more women to work in the industry.
She will be replaced by Matthew Bourne who has led the NSW and ACT teams at John Holland as general manager.
Mirams has been in the role since 2017.
Others appointed to the ACA board after the recent elections were John Holland’s chief executive Joe Barr and Multiplex general counsel for Australia and India and executive director Meg Redwin as vice-presidents.
McConnell Dowell Corporation chief executive Scott Cummins will join the board as treasurer and UGL Limited chief operating officer Michael Degotardi as company secretary.
