Head of External Relations Australia at Newmont Corporation Chris Welberry has joined the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA) Board of Directors.
Welberry has accrued almost 30 years of experience in the resources and energy sector — including over 20 years with ExxonMobil.
Welberry began with ExxonMobil in 2000 as a Melbourne-based government relations adviser, before rising to Global Head of Strategy and Planning (public and government affairs) at the company’s Texas headquarters.
In 2021 he joined Newcrest Mining, which was acquired by Newmont Corporation last November.
AREEA Chief Executive Steve Knott AM said Welberry would bring timely expertise to the national employer group’s Board of Directors.
“The resources and energy sector faces an array of workforce and workplace relations challenges — this includes persistent skills shortages and complex new industrial relations laws including around the supply of labour between businesses.
“While AREEA was able to ameliorate some of its biggest concerns with last year’s Closing Loopholes legislation through tough negotiations with the federal government — including a carve-out of the industry’s critical service contractor stream from ‘same job, same pay’ orders — our members nonetheless enter the new year dealing with new regulatory risks and uncertainties.
“At the same time, the sector continues its crucial campaigns to attract new generations of talent, with AREEA’s Bright Future STEM program reaching a record 10,000 students last year alongside a focus on driving improvements to workplace culture, inclusivity, mental health and overall wellbeing,” said Knott.
As of January 2024, the AREEA Board comprises:
- Tom Quinn (AREEA President)
- Julie Fallon (AREEA Vice President), Executive Vice President Corporate Services, Woodside Energy Limited
- Stuart Mathews (AREEA Vice President), Executive Vice President Australasia – Gold Fields Australasia
- Johnpaul Dimech, Zone President APMEA, Brazil and LatAm; Region CEO, APMEA, Sodexo
- Jo Taylor, Managing Director, Compass Group Australia
- Bill Townsend, Senior Vice President Corporate, INPEX
- Chris Welberry, Head of External Relations Australia, Newmont Corporation
- Ulysses Yiannis, Human Resources Manager Asia-Pacific, ExxonMobil Australia
