The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) is pleased to announce that experienced government relations professional Ms Diana Hallam has accepted the Board’s offer to become the Association’s new permanent Chief Executive Officer.
Ms Hallam has a long and distinguished career working at senior levels of the Australian Public Service, as Chief of Staff to a former Deputy Prime Minister and in other senior political advisory and corporate roles with a focus on infrastructure, transport and agriculture.
AFPA Chair Stephen Dadd commended the Board’s recruitment decision, “After a lengthy and thorough recruitment process, we are very pleased to announce that Diana Hallam will become AFPA’s new CEO and take the reins of Australia’s peak national forest products industry body, with the support of the AFPA membership, our Board of Directors and team of expert staff.
“Diana’s breadth of experience across senior levels of government, politics and the corporate sector will stand her in excellent stead to manage the challenges and opportunities facing our sector. On behalf of the Board, staff and membership, I congratulate Diana and welcome her to the team.”
Ms Hallam will leave her current role as a First Assistant Secretary in the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to commence as AFPA CEO on 12 March 2024. Diana served as Chief of Staff to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP from 2014 to 2017 and prior to that occupied senior roles at both Toll Group and Singapore Airlines.
Diana holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Master of Science and Technology (Aviation) from the University of NSW, a Master of International Law from the Australian National University, a Graduate Diploma of Professional Communications from the University of Southern Queensland and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ms Hallam said she was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to become AFPA’s CEO, “I look forward to meeting AFPA’s membership and working with everyone across the forest products supply chain. The industry is at the forefront of key policy challenges from climate change to economic development and sovereign capability. I look forward to getting out on the ground and talking to stakeholders about the industry’s issues and opportunities.”
