WA Culture and the Arts Minister John Day has announced Janelle Marr as the new chair of the ScreenWest board.
Mrs Marr will succeed outgoing chair Peter Rowe who served on the board for four years. Day said Mrs Marr's experience in strategy, governance and finance would continue to be an asset to ScreenWest and the industry.
"Janelle has been a valued member of the ScreenWest board since January 2013 and her experience will ensure there is a seamless transition to the position of chair," the Minister said.
He thanked outgoing chair Peter Rowe for his considerable contribution to ScreenWest. "Peter has been a driving force behind ScreenWest's success in attracting unprecedented national and overseas interest in WA filmmakers, productions and the State as a location for film and television production," he said.
The new appointment coincides with the release of the Indigenous Screen Strategy 2016-2020 which aims to increase national and international awareness and exposure of Western Australian indigenous stories and talent, and develop skills.
Day said the previous 2010-15 strategy had been a resounding success with an investment of $2.2 million generating more than $10 million in indigenous film and TV production in WA.
"In the five years since the release of the first strategy, 38 projects have received funding which has resulted in support for 34 indigenous filmmakers and 32 hours of screen time," he said.
"This is a great outcome and I am pleased that the strategy will continue under ScreenWest's new chair."
Janelle Marr has 20 years' experience in management consulting and is currently the managing director of StepBeyond, a strategy consultancy that provides advisory services to corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations across Australia and Asia. She has also worked at Credit Suisse First, Goldman Sachs, KPMG and Ernst and Young.