Our Board is appointed by Unitywater’s three shareholders: the Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay Regional Councils.
The independent skills-based Board guides our Executive Leadership Team to fulfil its vision to create a sustainable, industry-leading, community and customer oriented water and allied services business.
The combination of Board members' qualifications, skills and experience ensures a strong commercial focus, with emphasis on identifying efficiencies across the organisation and passing on costs savings to you.
Michael Arnett, Chair
BComm, LLB
Michael has significant experience in the corporate, commercial, mining and natural resources (including water), banking, finance and securities sectors. He was previously a Board member of Unitywater (from 2009 to 2012) and of Seqwater (from 2012 to 2019). Michael is a Board member of, amongst others, NRW Holdings Limited and Queensland Energy Resources Limited.
Megan Corfield
BComm, BA (Econ), GAICD
Megan is a strategic businesswoman and professional non-executive director with more than 25 years of experience in leadership and governance roles across government and the utility, professional services and major event sectors.
In addition to being a director of Unitywater, Megan holds directorships with Altogether Group and the Northern Territory’s Power and Water Corporation and is Chair of International Parking Group. Megan’s past board roles include Queensland Chair of Chief Executive Women, Chair of Connell Griffin and Non-Executive Director of Brisbane Grammar School, the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Tourism and Events Queensland, and advisory firms Infrasol and Urbis.
Megan has a proven record of delivering new business value from strategy development to operational execution, negotiating and integrating mergers and acquisitions and building high performing teams. Megan is a previous Queensland Telstra Businesswoman of the Year and has been recognised as one of the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence.
Chris Hertle
MPhil - Bio & Env Sci, BE (Chem)
Chris has over 40 years’ international experience in municipal and industrial water, wastewater and solid waste management. His roles have spanned from concept design through to commissioning and operation, with the last decade focused on developing and implementing robust strategies for the growth of water businesses.
A Fellow of the International Water Association and Engineers Australia, Chris has actively contributed to global water industry improvement through a range of technical and advisory committees. He recently retired from GHD where he was Market Leader for Water (Advisory) and continues as Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland’s’ Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology.
Graham Quirk
GAICD
Graham Quirk has dedicated 34 years to public life, including his tenure as Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 2011 to 2019. As Chair of the Council of Mayors of South East Queensland, he led the Prefeasibility and Full Feasibility studies for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He also contributed to the early development of the Wivenhoe Dam and its facilities as a member of the Brisbane and Area Water Board.
Since leaving public office, Graham has provided advisory and review services to government and private enterprises and served as a director of Infrastructure Australia from 2019 to 2022.
In addition to his role on the Unitywater Board, Graham is a director of Racing Queensland and Racing Australia. Graham’s past roles include serving on the Board of Governors for the International Institute of Business and Technology.
Sarah Zeljko
LLB, GAICD, GAIST
Sarah is an accomplished business leader with over 25 years of executive, operational, governance and advisory experience across public, private and government-owned corporations.
In addition to being a director of Unitywater, Sarah is Chair of the Board of Energy Queensland – Australia’s largest government-owned energy business – and a director of IntelliDesign, Stockyard Beef, Queensland Rugby Union and the International River Foundation.
An admitted legal practitioner in the NSW and QLD Supreme Courts, she has led various boards, committees, and executive teams through strategic and operational challenges. Sarah has a proven track record of delivering revenue growth by developing and executing corporate strategies, negotiating commercial agreements, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and navigating complex multi-million-dollar transactions.
