Our Board
The constitution of Forest and Wood Products Australia allows between five and nine Directors, including the Managing Director, who is appointed by the Board. At least two of the Board’s non-executive Directors must also be Independent Directors (not holding positions within any FWPA member companies).
Craig Taylor
Chair
Mr. Taylor has over 30 years’ management and consulting experience in primary industries, sustainable resource management, supply chain management, manufacturing, sales, and marketing, mostly in the plantation forestry sector. He is a Director and Principal of The Fifth Estate Consultancy which works across the spectrum of the resources and primary production sectors. Mr. Taylor provides advice to Australia’s and New Zealand’s largest forest and wood products companies covering strategy, business development, and investment.
After completing his BSc (Forestry) at the ANU, Mr. Taylor worked as a professional Forester with the NSW Forestry Commission before taking on management roles with Boral Timber and Wesfi. Immediately before joining The Fifth Estate, he was a Vice President with Jaakko Pöyry Asia-Pacific. He is a Non-Executive Director of PF Olsen Limited (New Zealand), the largest independent forest manager in Australia and New Zealand, and Chairman of Beyond Subsistence Pty Limited, a NFP which undertakes forestry and agroforestry training and development with subsistence farmers in Africa. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Foresters of Australia.
Katie Fowden
Non-Executive Director
Ms Fowden is the Strategic Relations Manager for Hyne Timber and XLam, where a significant part of her role is the promotion of the companies’ brand and products, and the industry more broadly.
Ms Fowden’s background is in advocacy, government liaison, policy, and corporate communications. Her skills and experience align closely with the aims and objectives of FWPA. She is also currently a non-executive director of Responsible Wood.
Tony Arnel
Non-Executive Director
Professor Arnel is Industry Professor for the Built Environment at Deakin University and works in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environmental. Most recently he was the Global Director of Sustainability at Norman, Disney and Young, stepping down after eight years as the company’s key strategist for sustainability and remaining as part-time advisor.
Professor Arnel is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects. He is also a Life Fellow of the Green Building Council of Australia, a founding director and was chair between 2007-2012. During this time, he was also chair of the World Green Building Council (2008 – 2011). His current board involvement includes the Energy Efficiency Council (President) and Deakin University School of Engineering (Chair). He is also a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Christine Briggs
Non-Executive Director
Ms Briggs has a rewarding career of over 30 years in the forest and wood products industry, largely focussed on the Australian and New Zealand sectors, and with international experience in North America. She has held senior sales and marketing general management roles with major Australian timber manufacturing businesses such as CSR, Weyerhaeuser, Gunns, Timberlink and is currently at AKD. Her international experience includes time in the US, working with Weyerhaueser Building Materials during 2003.
Ms Briggs’ business executive experience covers strategic planning and business development, stakeholder engagement, sales & marketing excellence and supply chain development. In her current role with AKD, she advises the company on market positioning and the development and adoption of the strategic market direction for the business. She is also a member of the Forest Industry Advisory Council which provides advice from a cross-section of industry participants on issues affecting Australia’s forestry sector to the Australian Government. Ms Briggs’ qualifications include a Bachelor of Business with a Marketing Major from University of Technology, Sydney and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Stephen Dadd
Non-Executive Director
Mr Dadd is the Executive Director at the Pentarch Group. He also serves on the Board at Australian Forest Producs Association, Allen Taylor, Duncan Holdings, Highland Pine Products, the Australian Roof Tile Association and the Concrete Masonry Manufacturers Australia. Mr Dadd is also a Councillor for the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales. He has a degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the London Business School and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Nick Roberts
Non-Executive Director
Mr Roberts has significant forestry and timber industry experience in Australia and overseas. He has been the Chief Executive Officer of Forestry Corporation, NSW’s largest commercial forest manager, for more than thirteen years and was previously Managing Director of Weyerhaeuser Australia, a position he held for five years. He has been actively involved in industry associations, chairing A3P and serving as a Director for Forest and Wood Products Australia.
Yvonne Pengilly
Non-Executive Director
Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Technology (Engineering) and has worked within the construction industry for the past 35+ years including roles as board member, assistant commissioner, managing director, regional manager, project manager, design manager and contracts administrator across project areas of trade contracting, client side project management, principal contractor, developer and government. These roles have encompassed a diverse range of projects including housing, hospitals, integrated hotel casino, airport, shopping centre, 5 star resort, multistorey residential projects and modular construction in both regional and metropolitan areas. During her career, Yvonne has worked with in all facets of the industry from family operated businesses to Tier 1 builders, and significant developers delivering high end resort developments and apartments. Yvonne is a registered open builder in Queensland and has held board positions with two state regulatory authorities in Queensland, along with being Chair of the Building Regulators Forum supporting the Building Ministers forum to respond to the Building Confidence Report recommendations. Yvonne was awarded Master Builders Qld (MBQ) State Woman In Construction 2013 and used this platform to found Women In Construction FNQ, which successfully promotes engagement with engineers, architects and builders in Far North Queensland through educational events.
