The outgoing Chair of Southern Waste Solutions (SWS), Dr Christine Mucha, has been recognised for her transformational leadership to Tasmania’s waste management sector.
Dr Mucha will complete her role as Chair in June after four and half years overseeing the transformational growth of Tasmania’s largest waste management authority.
Chair of the Copping Refuse Disposal Site Joint Authority, James Walker, paid tribute to Dr Mucha.
“Christine’s strong focus on financial sustainability, governance, environmental improvements and stakeholder relations has reshaped SWS in the Tasmanian waste sector,” Mr Walker said.
“Christine has focused efforts on resource recovery, insourcing operations at the Copping landfill and spearheading a substantial increase in capital investment to upgrade critical infrastructure.”
Dr Mucha said it had been rewarding working with the SWS board and executive to put SWS at the forefront of the rapidly changing waste sector.
“The SWS business has achieved major improvements in environmental compliance, maximising energy conversion, progressed the organics processing facility project and transformed the Lutana site into a resource recovery hub, setting the benchmark for sustainable waste practices in Tasmania,” Dr Mucha said.
“These changes have seen the size of the business grow substantially and return strong year-on-year profits.”
Mr Walker also thanked Dr Mucha for her compassionate leadership following the tragic loss of former CEO Chris Adekunle to leukemia last year.
“Her leadership during this incredibly difficult period ensured not only the continuity of our services but also reinforced our shared commitment to honouring Chris’s vision and carrying it forward.”
Mr Walker said SWS had enacted its succession plan to embrace this period of renewal as it embarked on an exciting new chapter.
“The Authority has commenced a comprehensive search for a new Board Chair to ensure the business’s strategic direction is realised, importantly through new industry partnerships and commercial resource recovery opportunities,” Mr Walker said.