The chair of Hydro Tasmania Dr David Crean, today announced the appointment of two new directors to the Board.

Dr Crean welcomed Ms Sally Farrier and Ms Melanie Willis to Hydro Tasmania’s Board and said their appointment was timely as the business moved closer to National Electricity Market entry.

Ms Farrier is a director of Farrier Swier Consulting in Melbourne and has specialised in the energy sector in both New Zealand and Australia while Ms Willis, a principal of consulting company, Capital Performance Group, of Sydney has broad experience in investment banking and finance.

 “Hydro Tasmania as a business is going through an exciting and challenging period as we prepare to enter the National Electricity Market in May 2005,” Dr Crean said.

“It is important we have a Board that has a diverse range of skills with the right mix of local and interstate representation to oversee our growing interests as a business.

“The extensive experience and knowledge of these two new directors will complement the already vast capability of our Board.

“I believe Hydro Tasmania is also one of only a few businesses in Australia to have an equal number of male and female non-executive directors. This is something that as the new chair of the Board I am very pleased to announce.”

Other Board members are Ms Carol Hughes, Ms Janine Healey, Mr Don Challen, Dr Julian Amos, Mr Ken Baxter and CEO Geoff Willis.

Ms Farrier has extensive management consulting experience, including in the Victorian electricity and gas reform processes.

She has also specialised in the energy sector for consulting company Ernst Young in both New Zealand and Australia, has a Bachelor of Engineering, a Masters in Business Administration, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment Analysis.

Ms Farrier is a member of the Securities Institute and the Australia Institute of Company Directors.

Prior to her current role, Ms Willis was Director Investment Banking with Deutsche Bank, Senior Vice President with BT Alex Brown, Manager Structured Finance with Westpac Corporate Finance and a senior consultant with Arthur Andersen.

She has a Bachelor of Economics, a Diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia, a Master of Taxation and a Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  Ms Willis is also an associate member of the Securities Institute, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Taxation Institute of Australia.

The new appointments fill the vacancies left by Mr Graeme Kennedy and former chairman, Hon. Peter Rae AO.