Romilly Madew AO FTSE HonFIEAust
Chief Executive Officer | Engineers Australia
"To achieve change across the transport and infrastructure industry it really gets down to culture, collaboration, innovation, problem solving, best practice and benchmarking."
Current positions
- Member, Federal Government, Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Committee
- Federal Government appointee, G20 EMPOWER - Empowerment and Progression of Women's Economic Representation
- Member, Champions of Change STEM – Engineers Australia representative
- Board Member, Placemaking NSW (NSW Government)
- Board Member, Sydney Olympic Park, and Chair of the Parklands Advisory Committee (NSW Government)
- Independent Chair, Currawong State Park Advisory Committee (Northern Beaches Council and NSW Government)
- Member, Pride in Diversity, National Executive LGBTQ+ Allies Forum
- Member, National Women in Transport CEO Advisory Group
- Member, Infrastructure Forum, Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering (ATSE)
- Member, Institution of Civil Engineers UK, Enabling Better Infrastructure Working Group
- Co-Founder and Board member, Minerva Network (supporting Australia’s elite sportswomen)
- Member, Chief Executive Women
Previous positions
- Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Australia
- Chief Executive Officer, Green Building Council of Australia
- Executive Director ACT and Sustainability, Property Council of Australia
- National Client Relationship Manager, King & Wood Mallesons
- National Order Manager, Link Telecommunications (BellSouth)
- Joint Owner, Madew Wines
- Chair, Australian Infrastructure Bodies CEO Network
- Co Chair, International Infrastructure Bodies Forum
- Chair, Cross Jurisdictional Meeting
- Member, Federal Government’s Significant Projects Infrastructure Delivery Office
- Member, Northern Australia Infrastructure Roundtable
- Member, Developing Northern Australia Conference Committee
- Member, Infrastructure Forum, Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering
- Member, Design Excellence Advisory Committee, City of Melbourne
- Commissioner, NT Government, Territory Economic Reconstruction Committee
- Board Member, Chief Executive Women
- Board Member, Sydney Olympic Park Authority
- Board Member, World Green Building Council
- Director, Land Development Agency, ACT
- Board Member, Canberra Tourism and Events Corporation
Career snapshot
Romilly Madew AO FTSE HonFIEAust is the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers Australia, the peak body for the engineering profession representing approximately 115,000 individual members. It is the voice of the profession and committed to advancing the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community.
Prior to joining Engineers Australia, Romilly was Chief Executive of Infrastructure Australia, a Federal Government Agency within the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications which provides research and advice to governments, industry and the community on the infrastructure investments and reforms that will benefit all Australians.
Romilly was awarded an Order of Australia in early 2019 in acknowledgment of her contribution to Australia’s sustainable building movement. She is recognised globally as a leader and advocate for change in the property and construction sector and is a vocal champion of diversity, Indigenous engagement, flexibility in the workplace, and women in sport. She is also active in Surf Life Saving and supporting Australia’s elite sportswomen through the Minerva Network, which she co-founded and is a Director.
Her executive career includes 13 years leading the Green Building Council of Australia.
In her own words
I learnt very early on in my career the benefits of diversity within committees, Boards and across organisations and the disadvantage of ‘same think’ when you have similar people who look, sound, and feel like each other. At the Green Building Council of Australia we undertook a lot of work creating a safe space to allow diversity of thought, recognising each team member’s strengths and learning to really listen – especially to the quiet people. You get better outcomes when you challenge each other respectfully and everyone has a voice.
Another significant learning has been to seek roles that align with your personal values. What is important to me is listening to diverse voices, reflecting, and learning, creating great teams and enduring relationships and delivering outcomes with far reaching community benefits. I want my expertise and energy to help build a sustainable world and each of my executive roles have allowed me to this in extremely tangible ways.
Cast out the net
A really defining moment was when I won the Australian Telstra Business Women’s Award in 2009 (Community and Government).
The Award helped project my career and but importantly it made me realise I had a responsibility to ensure opportunities for other women and how was I going to do that was by casting out the net. It’s not a ladder women need to throw out for other women – it’s the net.
My commitment to drive change has been at the heart of all my work as a leader and was recognised by the Engineers Australia Board when they appointed me in 2022 as the first non engineer to be CEO. Engineers are the nation’s problem solvers and the legacy of their work is enduring.
Another career milestone was helping establish the Champions of Change Property group in 2015. So much change has been driven from that program of work and industry leadership. When I started in property you could count the number of senior women leaders on two hands, whereas now there are so many women in so many leadership roles across property and construction.
It is exciting to be part of the Champions of Change STEM Group as Engineers Australia’s representative, particularly as we are building the diversity of our workforce and need to ensure the industry is welcoming to all members of the community.
Welcoming differences
When I joined the infrastructure and transport industry I had imposter syndrome, having come from a career in property and construction. However, I was welcomed in infrastructure and transport with open arms. People were so willing to share their experience and celebrated the new ideas I was bringing coming in from outside the industry.
What I continue to find really exciting and love is the constant engagement across the industry.
My vision for the next five years is…
…there is a collaborative taskforce linking up the great work being done in all the states and territories to really turn the dial up on diversity and inclusion across the industry. There is a lot of passionate people doing great work and we need to learn and share together within a forum to drive change.