Appointing a Director, Legal, Risk, Compliance and General Counsel in a Victorian Statutory Authority is a critical governance decision, reflecting the increasing complexity of regulatory environments, heightened accountability expectations, and the need for integrated legal and risk leadership to support confident decision‑making and sustainable delivery of public value.
The Brief
A Victorian statutory authority with state-wide responsibilities engaged Future Leadership™ to appoint a senior executive to lead its legal, risk, compliance and governance functions at a pivotal point in the organisation’s evolution. The role was newly created following a comprehensive review of the authority’s operating model and was designed to consolidate several previously discrete functions into a single, strategically focused leadership position.
Reporting to the Executive Director, Corporate Services, the role was established to provide high‑level advice to the Board and Chief Executive Officer, strengthen organisational governance, and embed a consistent culture of compliance and risk awareness across the enterprise. The appointment formed part of a broader organisational commitment to contemporary public sector governance, integrity and accountability.
The Director, Legal, Risk, Compliance and Governance was responsible for setting and overseeing legal strategy, enterprise risk management and compliance frameworks, alongside leadership of integrity, freedom of information (FOI) and privacy functions. The role required a leader capable of operating effectively within a complex statutory and regulatory environment, balancing legal assurance with pragmatic, commercial and operational insight.
The organisation sought a candidate with significant experience in senior legal and governance roles, ideally within the public sector or other highly regulated environments. Experience in property‑related matters, employment law, and complex stakeholder engagement across government and regulatory bodies was highly regarded. In parallel, the successful candidate was expected to simplify processes, standardise documentation, and lead a multidisciplinary team through a period of structural and cultural change.
The appointment was critical to strengthening governance maturity, supporting informed decision‑making at executive and Board level, and ensuring the organisation could confidently manage risk while delivering on its statutory mandate and public purpose.
The Process
Future Leadership™ conducted a targeted executive search across multiple jurisdictions, focusing on candidates with demonstrated expertise in legal, compliance and governance leadership within statutory and regulatory environments.
The search commenced with a detailed client briefing to confirm the role’s strategic objectives, leadership expectations and technical requirements. This informed a structured and rigorous search strategy, drawing on Future Leadership™’s national referral networks and targeted outreach, supported by advertising across selected digital platforms, including professional networks and Future Leadership™ channels.
Candidates participated in a comprehensive assessment process that included behavioural interviewing and psychometric assessment aligned to the Future Leadership Capability Framework (FLCF). This enabled a consistent and evidence‑based evaluation of leadership capability, cultural alignment and readiness to operate at enterprise and Board interfacing levels.
The lead consultant provided end‑to‑end support throughout panel interviews and undertook thorough 360‑degree referencing to validate leadership impact, stakeholder effectiveness and governance capability.
This consultative, transparent and disciplined approach resulted in a high‑quality shortlist of outstanding candidates, each with demonstrated capability to lead complex legal, risk and governance portfolios within a highly accountable public sector environment.
The Outcome
The successful appointee brought more than two decades of senior experience across legal, governance and corporate advisory roles, spanning government, corporate and purpose‑driven organisations. Their background included service in General Counsel and Company Secretary roles within large, complex organisations, with a strong track record of leading legal teams, advising Boards and Executives, and driving enterprise‑wide governance reform.
Having previously undertaken an interim assignment with the organisation prior to permanent appointment, the appointee demonstrated immediate credibility and impact. During this period, they provided trusted strategic advice to the Executive Leadership Team, strengthened legal and governance functions, and led the restructuring of the internal legal capability to improve efficiency and service delivery.
Key achievements included streamlining Board and committee processes, managing complex stakeholder and regulatory relationships, and supporting executive recruitment and governance renewal initiatives. Their leadership approach combined technical legal expertise with a deep understanding of public accountability and organisational culture.
Since appointment, the role has significantly strengthened the organisation’s legal risk oversight and governance maturity. Compliance capability has been enhanced, and closer alignment has been achieved between legal strategy, risk management and the organisation’s broader public purpose.
