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Posted by Allen Newton
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21 August, 2025
WEST Australian-based shipbuilder Austal has appointed former CEO of the Water Corporation, Susan Murphy AO, to its Board to complete what Chairman Richard Spencer described as a “complete refresh”.
In an announcement to the Australian Stock Exchange Austal said Ms Murphy is an experienced company director with important engineering and contracting expertise.
She will commence as a non-executive director of Austal on 1 September 2025.
She will also join both the Board’s Nomination & Remuneration Committee and Audit & Risk Committee.
The ASX statement said Ms Murphy possesses extensive executive leadership experience in engineering, infrastructure and corporate governance from her 40-year career, with expertise in delivering major projects, organisational transformation and stakeholder management.
She served as the CEO of the Water Corporation of Western Australia for ten years until 2018.
Prior to that, she spent 25 years at Clough Engineering, progressing through various operational and leadership roles before being appointed to the Board in 1998, becoming the company’s first female director.
“We are delighted to welcome Sue to the Austal Board. Her proven performance in leadership, project delivery and strategic development will be invaluable to Austal as we continue to grow and strengthen our business globally,” said Austal Chairman Richard Spencer.
Ms Murphy currently serves as a non-executive director at Monadelphous Group and is an advisory Board member at Cape Dunstans Construction.
She completed her term as Pro Chancellor at the University of Western Australia in August 2025 and remains a director on the UWA Business School Board.
Ms Murphy was recognised as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019 and received the prestigious Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year Award in 2013.
In each year from 2009 to 2016, she was listed in the top 100 most influential engineers in Australia by Engineers Australia.
Ms Murphy holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Western Australia and is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
She is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Chief Executive Women.
