ANCAP bolsters executive ranks

THE Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has announced the appointment of Nicholas Clarke to the newly created position of chief executive officer.

This is a full-time position that sees Mr Clarke move from his current role as business manager, which he has performed since 2005 on a consultancy basis.

ANCAP has also appointed Rhianne Robson as communications manager. She replaces Allan Yates, who was employed on a part-time contract basis and has now left the organisation.

The two new appointments bring ANCAP’s Canberra-based national secretariat to three full-time staff, with operations manager Vicky McDougall having joined last year.

ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh said Mr Clarke played an instrumental role in progressing ANCAP to an incorporated company in 2006 from a joint venture of stakeholders formed in the early 1990s.

“Since then, under Mr Clarke’s direction, ANCAP has expanded with new stakeholders, and its recognition by the media, the car industry and consumers has increased exponentially,” said Mr McIntosh.

From top: Nicholas Clarke, Rhianne Robson and James Goodwin.



“These appointments are a significant step forward for ANCAP and will further enhance our ability to encourage and promote the benefits of safer cars within the Australian and New Zealand new-car markets.”

Over a 33-year career, Mr Clarke has held senior private and public sector positions at organisations including the Motor Trades Association of Australia, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Australian Tax Office and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. He also worked for an investment bank in Sydney.

Since 1999 (until moving full-time to ANCAP), Mr Clarke has operated a consultancy specialising in strategic business development. His client base came from the automotive industry and, he told GoAuto, a broad range of public and private sector organisations.

Charged with boosting ANCAP’s profile both nationally and abroad, Ms Robson has previously held marketing and communications positions with the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. She also has experience with the AMA and Master Builders Australia.

Meanwhile, the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) recently appointed former FCAI media and government relations manager James Goodwin to the newly created position of government relations and communications director.

Back working with former FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar, who is now executive director of the AAA, Mr Goodwin left the Australian car industry’s peak body in April last year to join Airservices Australia as senior adviser of community relations.

Mr Goodwin’s new role at the AAA is a permanent position that comes after a period of employing contractors for government and media relations at the peak body for Australia’s state automobile clubs.

ANCAP’s Allan Yates also previously served as AAA’s communications manager, leaving late in 2010.

“The aim is to lift the profile of the AAA on national matters, particularly on affordability issues such as taxes and fuel prices, safety and sustainability matters like improved public transport options and environment improvements to vehicles,” Mr Goodwin told GoAuto.

Although only at Airservices Australia for about seven months, Mr Goodwin said he felt he had achieved a lot at the organisation “establishing the new community relations branch and the procedures and strategies to improve engagement with stakeholders and the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman”.