In his role as Chief Operating Officer, David oversaw the conversion of PIA into a company limited by guarantee; stabilised the Institute’s volatile financial situation; and together with Kirsty, developed a set of purpose statements for the organisation as well as fostered a high-performing work culture internally. David also oversaw the establishment of the Registered Planner program.

Prior to joining PIA, David held general management and leadership roles for nearly 20 years, including four years as Chief Executive Officer for Greening Australia, Australia’s largest environmental not-for-profit.

David’s view is that the key strategic challenges facing the built and natural environments are largely the same. Sustainability, livability and resilience in the context of a growing population are issues that David has been focused on throughout his career. Enthusing, educating and empowering members to take action at the personal, professional and community levels has always been David’s favoured tactic to address these key challenges. In both the built and natural environment, planning decisions made today often have a long legacy impact. David believes therefore that PIA’s role is to offer professional planners a strong sense of belonging, to support their career development and to advocate for meaningful policy changes.