CCIWA chief Chris Rodwell to end seven-year tenure with move back to Sydney in March

WA’s business community is mourning the looming departure of one of its fiercest advocates. Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief executive Chris Rodwell said his family had made the “difficult” decision to return to Sydney after seven years on the west coast. Mr Rodwell dropped the bombshell on Friday but said he would not make the move until March next year when his contract ends. “It’s a real honour to serve the people in this State who put their capital at risk, especially the thousands of businesses that choose to be our members,” he said. “It’s their commitment to trade and commerce that will continue to transform the wealth of the State and the nation. “My family and I have made the difficult decision to leave the State we’ve called home for seven years to return to Sydney. “We will leave with an unbreakable connection to this great State and its boundless opportunities. Our twin sons are headed to university next year and we’ve decided it’s the right time for our younger two, who both have intellectual disabilities, to be closer to family.” As CEO of the chamber, Mr Rodwell has waged myriad campaign to make doing business in WA easier, including a push to lower payroll tax, change outdated laws governing retail trading hours and improved access to overseas markets. CCIWA president Nicki Ivory paid tribute to Mr Rodwell’s achievements, particularly WA’s fight for a fairer share of GST revenue and his campaigning for policy reform across tax and regulatory issues, particularly recent industrial relations and environmental regulation reforms. “Chris has led the organisation through some significant challenges for our business community, including tireless work during the COVID-19 pandemic to advocate for WA businesses and help them recover,” Ms Ivory said. “Importantly, we recognise that business is an integral part of our community and many of our members are small businesses that rely on a strong business voice. Under Chris’s leadership we also tackled complex societal and economic issues that create barriers for women and people with disabilities to participate in the workforce.” The chamber board has started the search for a replacement.