CEO Departs
12 December 2016
It’s been a real privilege to have led Wunan as CEO for the last two years and I feel both a sense of sadness in leaving an organisation that I have loved being part of, along with a sense of pride in the many things we have achieved together over this time.
The organisation has grown significantly and now employs 100 staff. I am proud to say that while this growth has occurred, the percentage of Indigenous staff has also increased from around 50 per cent to just under 70 per cent. We have also put a lot of effort into developing a strong set of Wunan Values and continuing to build a positive culture within our organisation, which provides a strong platform for making real change in our community.
Wunan is fortunate to have an outstanding group of dedicated staff who are committed to improving the lives of Indigenous people in the East Kimberley. It is in the hearts of these people that the Wunan mission and vision comes to life. It’s been an honour to have led such an exemplary group of people, who demonstrate every day their passionate commitment to the Wunan cause.
I leave Wunan in a strong financial position and I am proud of the great contribution to this result made by so many people in our team, which has further strengthened our organisation. As our revenue has increased, we have also been able to deliver two record profit results, which is a real credit to the strong financial management of Wunan Foundation and an important part of the long-term sustainability of our organisation.
For me, it has been an honour to have contributed to Wunan’s mission of social reform. As an organisation, Wunan consistently confronts the difficult issues that need to be addressed to make positive change in the East Kimberley. In particular, I have been proud to contribute to the strong welfare reform direction of Wunan Chairman, Ian Trust, and other local Indigenous leaders, who have championed the introduction of the Cashless Debit Card in Kununurra and Wyndham. The early results are overwhelmingly positive and the improvements being seen locally are a real credit to the leadership of those involved in championing this important reform.
I thank the Wunan Board for the honour and privilege of leading such a wonderful group of staff for the past two years, all of whom I know will continue to contribute to Wunan’s important mission.
Christian Zahra
Chief Executive Officer