City of Swan appoints new CEO

Published on 22 October 2020

The City of Swan Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeremy Edwards as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Mr Edwards is an experienced executive with an extensive career in local government, having worked in both metropolitan and regional locations.

He is the current CEO of the Shire of East Pilbara and has previously held the role of CEO at the Shire of Gingin along with senior positions at the City of Bayswater and City of Swan.

City of Swan Mayor Kevin Bailey said the announcement signalled a significant milestone for the City of Swan and brought to a close the external recruitment process.

“Jeremy is an accomplished CEO with proven leadership skills and experience in community and stakeholder engagement along with executing strategic planning frameworks,” Mayor Bailey said.

“Our local population is nudging 150,000 people, we have 42 suburbs and more than 10,000 businesses; Jeremy understands the area, our rich history, and the unique opportunities and challenges that face our community.

“He has a genuine passion for local government with 30 years’ experience and his community-oriented approach means he is committed to enhancing peoples’ quality of life where they live, work and play.”

Cr Bailey said Council looked forward to working with Mr Edwards to ensure the City continues to deliver strong leadership, as well as key Council and corporate outcomes.

Reflecting on his appointment, Mr Edwards said the City of Swan had a strong history of meeting diverse community expectations and he was looking forward to returning to the City of Swan to take up the role of CEO; a place where he started his management career.

“2020 has been an unprecedented year for everyone. As we look forward into the future, my focus will be on rebuilding our local economy from the effects of the pandemic and working closely with stakeholders and community every step of the way,” Mr Edwards said.

“This is an exciting and challenging opportunity, it is a privilege to be the next CEO and I look forward to joining the City’s team and working with elected members.”

Following his announcement, Mayor Bailey acknowledged retiring CEO Michael Foley who led the City for 14 years during a time of exponential urban growth and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Michael will be remembered for his stoic leadership and his high degree of integrity, honesty and dedication to the role.

“He has made a significant contribution to the City of Swan during his tenure as CEO and his dedication to our community has been immeasurable,” he said.

Mr Edwards will relocate to Perth and start his new role in the coming months, an official start date is still to be finalised.