Our independent, skills-based Board provides oversight and strategic direction to help ensure we deliver safe, reliable and sustainable water and wastewater services for our communities.
Appointed by our participant councils, Sunshine Coast Council, City of Moreton Bay and Noosa Council, the Board guides our Executive Leadership Team and helps shape the long-term direction of our business. Our governance framework helps ensure we operate sustainably, remain responsive to our communities and continue to deliver essential water and wastewater services.
Board members bring diverse qualifications, expertise and experience from a range of industries and disciplines, providing strong governance and independent oversight. The combination of these skills and perspectives supports sound decision-making, effective risk management and a strong commercial focus.
Strong governance supports our commitment to operating on a sustainable basis, being an efficient, innovative and responsive organisation, and maintaining and improving service standards for our customers and the communities we serve. These principles are reflected in our Participation Agreement and guide the Board's oversight of our long-term strategy and performance.
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 recently held directorships with Altogether Group and the Northern Territory’s Power and Water Corporation and is currently also 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.
Chris Hertle
MPhil - Bio & Env Sci, BE (Chem)
Chris is a Chemical Engineer with 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 is an Adjunct Professor and member of the Advisory Board at the University of Queensland’s’ Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology and provides advice to a number of companies in the water industry.
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 has previously been Chair of the Board of Energy Queensland – Australia’s largest government-owned energy business – and a director of IntelliDesign. Sarah is currently also a director of EnergyCo NSW, 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.
