FCA appoints new Executive Director

Written on the 13 December 2007 by Kath Christie

Communications industry executive and consultant Steve Wright has been appointed to head Australia’s peak franchising sector representative group, the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA).

FCA Chairman John O’Brien said Steve’s experience in industry advocacy and stakeholder relations, including government relations, on the national level over the past 15 years made him a strong fit for the FCA.

“In Steve, we have secured a high calibre candidate from a strong field of applicants, with well-rounded skills to help take us to the next level of professionalism, representation and member service delivery,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We are very excited about what Steve brings to the FCA. He has a breadth of experience in big and small business and at senior levels of other industry representative groups,” Mr O’Brien said.

“He knows from personal experience the challenges of small business and new business ventures and he understands the importance of translating that experience to the legislative and regulatory areas of Government, which can have such a profound impact on business.”

Wright replaces former CEO Richard Evans, who has taken up a role with another industry representative body.

With over 15 years of experience in stakeholder relations, including investor and government relations and regulatory affairs, Wright will start his new role on 8 January 2008.

He is currently Director (Communications) with Gavin Anderson & Company, one of the nation’s leading corporate and government relations consultancies.

Prior to joining Gavin Anderson, he was Director, Stakeholder Relations, at Hutchison Telecoms, the operator of the Orange and 3 mobile phone services in Australia and overseas. Prior to that, he was Director of Public Affairs for Optus and SingTel Optus.

Franchising in Australia represents a dynamic and entrepreneurial small business sector contributing $128 billion to the Australian economy, with franchisees employing some 600,000 Australians within over 72, 000 workplaces. The FCA is the only national representative body for this large and important sector of the economy.