Willie Rowe, who successfully stood in as the Acting CEO of the WA AIDS Council, has now stepped in to head the State’s screen development agency Screenwest.
Screenwest’s CEO Seph McKenna has unexpectedly left the agency less than a year after he was recruited to the role. McKenna had been contracted to serve as the organisation’s leader for a five year term.
The reasons for his suddent departure have not been announced.
Rowe was formerly Premier Colin Barnett’s Chief of Staff and filled in as the CEO of the WA AIDS Council when their leader Andrew Burry passed away suddenly.
Prior to joining Screenwest McKenna was the head of Australian production at Roadshow Films and had been involved in many successful films created in Western Australia including Red Dog, Red Dog: True Blue, Bran Nue Dae, Paper Planes, and These Final Hours.
Screenwest’s chair Janelle Marr announced the departure of their CEO saying they wished him the best for the future.
“The Board thanks Mr McKenna for his contribution to Screenwest during his time with the organisation, and wish him well for his next endeavours.”
The board said Rowe would lead the organisation while the search for a new CEO will commence immediately.
The organisation has recently gone through a major restructure being moved out of government to be become a stand along non-profit organisation. The move saw the winding down of long running community organisation the Film and Television Institute whose functions were absorbed by Screenwest.
The restructure also saw many of the agency’s long severing staff members opting to take transfers into other government departments rather than face significant salary cuts in the non-profit environment.
OIP Staff
Note: OUTinPerth’s Managing Editor Graeme Watson is a former employee of the Film and Television Institute.
