Ararat Rural City Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Phuong Au (pronounced foong ow) as our new Chief Executive Officer for a four-year term, commencing 1 October 2026.
Councillors endorsed the appointment at the August Council meeting after a formal, publicly advertised recruitment process undertaken by an external expert consultancy, Sal Corp.
Dr Tim Harrison has advised Council that he will retire as Chief Executive Officer on 30 September 2026, bringing forward his planned retirement following Phuong’s appointment and reflecting his confidence in her ability to lead Council into its next chapter.
Phuong brings almost 20 years’ experience across public administration, funding, project delivery and executive leadership to the Chief Executive Officer role.
She first joined Ararat Rural City Council in September 2023 as Strategic Project Lead, before being appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer in September 2025. In these roles, Phuong has contributed strategic leadership, cross-organisational project delivery and a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing regional communities.
She has been instrumental in securing tens of millions of dollars of major grants for the Ararat region in her role, directly contributing to our roads infrastructure and maintenance, sporting venues, and community facilities.
She has also been central to the development of many of our major strategic pieces of work including budget and annual planning, Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, Sport and Active Recreation Strategy, the Disability Action Plan that is currently underway, and driving the ARCC Advocacy Programs for the last two years.
Many local residents will have seen her at our Community Drop-in Sessions and many Community Consultations.
Before joining Ararat Rural City Council, Phuong spent almost six years at Northern Grampians Shire Council, progressing through funding, project management and strategic funding roles. Her earlier career includes roles across federal government and higher education, building strong foundations in public administration, stakeholder engagement and service delivery.
Quotes attributable to Mayor Cr Bob Sanders
“I’m really pleased Phuong has been appointed as the new CEO of Ararat Rural City Council and I’m looking forward to working with her in the coming months as we firm up our future plans for the municipality.”
“I’d like to thank the other Councillors for working together and coming to a unanimous decision about Phuong’s appointment; she was a standout candidate.”
Quotes attributable to incoming Ararat Rural City Council CEO Phuong Au
“It’s a privilege to be appointed to lead Ararat Rural City Council, and I thank the Councillors for the confidence they have placed in me. I’d also like to thank Dr Tim Harrison, the outgoing CEO, for his tremendous work over his term in the position. It’s put Council in very a strong position to continue to drive growth, support the community and residents, and embrace the opportunities ahead.”
“I look forward to building on Council’s strong performance under Dr Tim’s leadership, while bringing fresh energy to the role. My priority will be to build on the momentum already underway, while ensuring Council continues to strengthen our region and deliver meaningful outcomes for the community.”
“My family and I have called Ararat home for more than 10 years, and we have been warmly embraced by the community. It is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, and I am genuinely excited about the future we can create together.”
