Northern Beaches Council appoints a new chief executive officer
AFTER a four-month process Northern Beaches councillors have appointed a new chief executive officer.
Manly
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RAY Brownlee has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of the Northern Beaches Council.
At a confidential meeting of councillors on Tuesday night they voted to bring in the Randwick Council general manager to steer them in a new direction.
Mayor Michael Regan said Mr Brownlee boasts an impressive 30-year career in local government as an engineer, asset and contracts manager and most recently as general
manager of Randwick City Council since 2004.
“We conducted an extensive and thorough recruitment process to find the right person to lead our great Council into the future,” Mayor Regan said.
“Ray ticks all the boxes.
“He has an incredible breadth of experience, a real focus on customer service and delivery and is an exceptional financial manager.
“His proven track record was acknowledged in 2015 when he was awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service in an executive role.
“He is extremely highly regarded and well respected within the industry and further afield, with demonstrated ability to influence all levels of government, and we are very fortunate to have someone of his calibre join us.
“Plus he is very down to earth, genuine and people-focused and will be a great fit for our community.
“I am confident Ray will help lead our organisation to the next level as we continue to deliver the highest quality services and infrastructure for the people of the northern beaches.”
His appointment follows a four month process to find a new council boss after former CEO Mark Ferguson stepped down and was given more than 38-weeks pay of his $480,000 salary as part of a mutual agreement in March.
In 2015, the Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Brownlee earned almost $400,000 in his role as Randwick general manager.
The terms of his contract have not been announced.
But, it is expected that the new contract — to be set over a five-year period and based on performance and starting October 1 — will be more than Mr Ferguson’s package.
More than 100 people applied for the position, advertised through job agency Derwent Executive.
Planning general manager David Kerr, corporate general manager Helen Lever and environment general manager Ben Taylor have been acting in the CEO on a monthly rotation.
A shortlist of six candidates was interviewed by the council’s selection panel — made up of six councillors — three weeks ago.