Executive Management Team 

RICHARD MUIRHEAD
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Richard, a qualified Town Planner, joined the Western Australian Public Sector in 1987, bringing with him some 14 years of private sector experience in market research and marketing, including in his own company which was sold to a major national research group in 1986.

He originally joined the (then) Western Australian Technology & Industry Development Authority as Director of the Marketing Division. Apart from two years in London (1990-1991) as Director of Trade and Investment of the Western Australian European Office, he remained with the Department in its various guises as Executive Director of Trade and Industry Development until 1997.

In mid-1997 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the WA Department of Commerce & Trade, the State's premier industry and trade development agency - a post he held until May 2001, when he left to head up Tourism Western Australia.

DAVID VAN OORAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EVENTSCORP

David joined Eventscorp in 2006. Previously he was the Director, Commercial Operations and Visitor Services at the Western Australian Museum. Prior to this David held a senior management position with AQWA (Aquarium of Western Australia), and has also spent time in a variety of roles at Perth Zoo, the Western Australian Tourism Commission and Australian Airlines, primarily interstate.  David has been a Director of the Perth Theatre Company since 2007.

The Eventscorp team is responsible for securing major events for Perth and regional Western Australia. Eventscorp also oversees the marketing service agreement for business event tourism contracted to the Perth Convention Bureau.

JENNIFER DUFFECY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

Jennifer Duffecy has a background in economic and regional development, public policy and community development in both Queensland and Western Australia. Jennifer has six years experience with the tourism sector and leads a team that works across the areas of investment attraction, land use and infrastructure planning, visitor servicing, business support and product innovation.

Jennifer is a Board member of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse a company that provides a national platform for digital tourism information on Australia.

STEPHANIE BUCKLAND
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARKETING

Stephanie was appointed Executive Director Marketing in March 2008.  She brings 14 years of private sector marketing experience to Tourism WA from the packaged goods and financial services industries.  As the Head of Marketing for BankWest Stephanie developed the marketing strategy for the bank's successful expansion to the east coast of Australia.  Stephanie also worked for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare for 12 years marketing well-known consumer brands such as Listerine mouthwash, both in the USA and Australia.

Stephanie is responsible for Tourism WA’s domestic and international marketing activities, including consumer and trade marketing, public relations and research.

She earned an undergraduate degree in Markeing at the Pennsylvania State University and a Masters in Business Administration at the University of Virginia.

DAVID LOWE
A/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CORPORATE & BUSINESS SERVICES

David has worked in the Western Australian Public Sector for the last 25 years, predominantly in the field of human resource management.  For the last eight years he has been with Tourism WA and prior to this he worked at the Water Corporation, Family and Children's Services, MetroBus and the Public Service Commission.

David holds the following qualifications and honours:
- Master of Business Administration
- Graduate Diploma in Management (Occupational Safety and Health)
- Diploma in Human Resources
- Australian Defence Medal

RICK THOMAS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AVIATION DEVELOPMENT

Rick has extensive career experience in tourism, which began in the early 1970s with a coach company in the United Kingdom.

Since joining the (then) Western Australian Department of Tourism in 1977 as a travel consultant in its Sydney Office, Rick has held a variety of positions in Tourism WA including Interstate Marketing Manager, Product Development Manager, General Manager International Sales and Marketing, and Executive Director Marketing and Communications.  He formerly held the position of Executive Director Trade Marketing before taking on the aviation development role.

His tourism marketing achievements include introducing Brand Western Australia to the global marketplace and the successful delivery of the memorable Elle MacPherson tourism campaign. Rick has headed a Marketing Effectiveness Review and chaired the Destination Australia Marketing Alliance between all Australian State Tourism Organisations and Tourism Australia, which is delivering a more streamlined national approach to international tourism marketing.