Premier welcomes appointment of two more DGs

A further two Directors-General have been appointed following the recommendation of an independent panel continuing the merit-based recruitment process.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomed the recommendation of the panel and said the Directors-General would bring a wealth of policy expertise, experience and leadership to the roles.

The Directors-General appointed:

• Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and Commonwealth Games: Ms Megan Houghton
• Department of Energy and Water Supply: Professor Paul Simshauser

“The new Directors-General together bring a combined 40 years’ experience to the roles, including in senior executive and management positions, across a number of industries, and the private and public sectors," Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Directors-General play an integral role in working collaboratively to support their Ministers to help run the state and deliver essential services to Queenslanders.

“The new Directors-General will work closely with their respective Ministers to deliver on the priorities outlined in their portfolio charter letter, to ensure we deliver for Queenslanders.

“I am pleased the panel is continuing with their recruitment process, which is part of my Government’s commitment to returning to a Westminster-style system where bureaucracy is enabled to provide independent, high quality advice," she said.

The independent panel was chaired by the Public Service Commission’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Robert Setter and also included Ms Lynelle Briggs AO, Chairperson of the NSW Planning Assessment Commission and Mr Jim Hallion AM, Coordinator-General, South Australia.

The selection process for the remaining eight positions is continuing and is expected to be completed shortly.

Media contact: Premier’s Office 3719 7000
 

Directors-General – brief biography

Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and Commonwealth Games: Ms Megan Houghton. Ms Houghton is a well-respected and highly regarded senior executive, currently in the role of Chief Executive of CitySmart. In this role, she has led the business from a local start-up to a nationally competitive business that will generate $600 million in economic benefits to Queensland. Ms Houghton currently holds Board Director positions with Unity Water where she is Chair, Marketing and Retail Committee and Chair, Sustainability Committee as well as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. She also holds the position of non-executive Director at Urbis. Ms Houghton has previously held senior executive roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Energex and United Energy. She was named ‘Queensland Telstra Business Woman of the Year’ in 2010 and was recognised in the Australian Financial Review’s ‘100 Women of Influence’ in 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics), and is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Department of Water and Energy Supply: Professor Paul Simshauser. Professor Simshauser brings to the role more than 20 years’ experience in the energy industry. He has expertise in energy trading, operations, finance and capital raisings for energy assets, as well as extensive experience formulating energy policy in conjunction with state and federal governments across Australia. His most current roles include Chief Economist and Group Head of Corporate Affairs with AGL Energy where he was responsible for economics and energy policy, energy regulation and sustainability. He has also held senior executive positions at Stanwell Corporation Limited, NewGen Power and Babcock and Brown. He is an accomplished academic with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from Griffith Business School, a Bachelor of Economics and a PhD in Economics. He is also a Professor of Economics at Griffith University, a Professional Member of the Economics Society of Australia, a Certified Practicing Accountant and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.