Tony Kelly

More than 1.7 million people and 50,000 businesses in Melbourne’s northern and eastern suburbs source their water supply and sewerage services from Yarra Valley Water. To consistently serve current and future customers, Yarra Valley Water is exploring sustainability strategies such as recycled water, desalination, and green energy.

"I know the business pretty well, I know the people, and I generally know the right questions to ask. I think the staff realise that I appreciate the work that they’re doing and the challenges they’re addressing. That wide range of experience also gives me credibility and helps staff trust in my leadership and know that I understand what they’re trying to deal with on a daily basis".

"I encourage our senior managers to move around the business. We're not a huge company; we’ve got around 600 staff. Because we’re not that big, we can’t afford a lot of specialists and if they’re a division manager in the company, they’ve certainly got a much better chance of becoming a general manager if they’ve got a broad knowledge of the business".