Leadership team
A/Chief Executive Officer, Paul Italiano
Paul joined Western Power in 2010 as General Manager of the newly formed Corporate Services Division with responsibility for corporate communications, human resources, IT, health and safety, corporate real estate, and group commercial activities.
Previously Paul worked at Wesfarmers General Insurance as General Manager Business Services; at HBF Health Funds as General Manager Financial Services and Strategic Development; at Ernst & Young as Senior Manager Corporate Finance; and at the RAC as Chief Financial Officer.
Paul is a CPA and has a Bachelor of Business and an MBA. Paul is also a graduate of the Leadership WA program.
Executive General Manager Operations, Ken Brown
Ken joined the State Energy Commission in 1975 and was appointed Executive General Manager in 2011. His division has responsibility for delivering on our Annual Works Program (AWP) to meet growing energy demands, replace aging assets to ensure a more reliable network and facilitate customer enquiries.
Ken has more than 35 years experience in the electricity industry and a Bachelor of Engineering. He has been a member of CIGRE (the International Council on Large Electric Systems) since 1993 and Chairman of Australian Panel C2, Power System Operations and Control since 2001. Ken is also a member of the WA Market Advisory Committee and its predecessors that helped establish the WA Wholesale Electricity Market.
In 2010, Ken received the prestigious Engineers Australia National Professional Electrical Engineer of the Year Award.
General Manager Regulation and Sustainability, Phil Southwell
Phil joined State Energy Commission in 1973 and was appointed a general manager in 2006. His division has responsibility for regulation and pricing; the development of a new Access Arrangement with the Economic Regulation Authority; and sustainability.
Phil has more than 30 years experience in the electricity industry, particularly in relation to power system development and regulation. A member of the Institute of Engineers Australia, Phil is also a member of Western Australian Market Advisory Committee, board member of the Australian Power Institute and a Member of the University of Western Australia Industry Advisory Council.
Phil has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Graduate Diploma in Management.
In August 2008, Phil took over as Chair of CIGRE (the International Council on Large Electric Systems) Study Committee C1 covering power system planning, asset management and economics.
General Manager System Management, Cameron Parrotte
Cameron joined the State Energy Commission of Western Australia in 1992 as a cadet engineer and was appointed General Manager System Management in 2012. His division has responsibility for ensuring there is sufficient generation capacity to meet the predicted daily demands across the system and to provide centralised control and access to the transmission and distribution networks.
Cameron has held numerous senior management and senior engineering positions covering technical, field and system operational aspects of electricity networks and markets.
Cameron has a Bachelor of Engineering (First Class Honours), a Bachelor of Commerce (Management major) and a Master of Technology. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer, on the National Professional Engineers Register and a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia.
General Manager Networks, Mark de Laeter
Mark first started working at Western Power Corporation in December 1981 and was appointed as a general manager in February 2006. Mark has specialised in the electricity industry, holding senior management positions encompassing field, technical and commercial aspects of transmission and distribution networks and regional generation.
Mark’s Networks Division is responsible for the planning, development, performance, investments and standards of the network; the interface with major customers; environment, community engagement and approvals; and the development of the Smart Grid.
Mark has a Bachelor of Engineering degree as well as Masters degrees in Business Administration and Engineering Science. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer and a member of the Institute of Engineers.
Chief Financial Officer, Stewart Hart
Stewart joined Western Power in October 2011 as Chief Financial Officer.
Stewart brings a wealth of international expertise and knowledge in the area of finance, having worked in the resources sector with BHP Billiton for close to 25 years, most recently as the company’s Chief Financial Officer Iron Ore (Global) from 2007 to 2010.
His international career has provided Stewart with the opportunity to work in a diverse range of locations including Chile, The Netherlands, Queensland and Newman.
Stewart specialises in providing expertise in the provision of financial and commercial support, while ensuring compliance and delivering shareholder value. He is highly experienced in leading business transformation and successful value improvement programs.
Stewart holds a Bachelor of Administration (Financial Accounting) from Griffith University. He is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a member of CPA Australia.
General Manager Enterprise Solutions Partner, Kevin Gaitskell
Kevin joined Western Power in 2008 as the General Manager of the Enterprise Solutions Partner Division.
His Division partners with the business to provide the focus and expertise to develop and successfully execute corporate strategy.
Kevin has more than 20 years’ experience in strategy development, execution and review, working with executives and boards within the private and not-for-profit sectors. He has worked across the three tiers of government: local, state and federal.
Over this time he has held a variety of leadership roles in corporate management including director, senior executive, consultant, advisor and independent reviewer.
Kevin has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Curtin University), a Masters degree from the University of Western Australia and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
General Counsel & Company Secretary (Legal and Governance), John Pease
John joined Western Power in 2006. He has been practising law since the mid 1980s and has substantial commercial and dispute resolution experience in a broad range of subject areas, including banking and finance, debt recovery, insolvency, trade practices, infrastructure, energy and corporate governance.
John is responsible for Western Power's Legal and Governance Division, comprising its internal legal team (including its relationship with external legal service providers), as well as the risk management & compliance and internal audit functions. He also provides governance advice and support to Western Power's board and its committees, as well as to the Executive.
Prior to joining Western Power, John spent time as a barrister at the Independent Bar and also held various in-house, private practice and government positions at organisations including Murdoch University, BankWest, the Federal Court and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Perth and Sydney), the Australian Taxation Office and the NSW Magistrates Courts Administration.
In 1998 John obtained a Master of Laws (with distinction) from the University of Western Australia.
