Meet Cannings Purple’s new Stakeholder Engagement team

We’re excited to announce the creation of a dedicated Stakeholder Engagement team at Cannings Purple – the biggest such in-house team in Perth.

The team will be led by Director Charlie Wilson-Clark, who has been pivotal in the development of our engagement practice since joining Cannings Purple two years ago.

Charlie will be supported by former BHP head of Indigenous and community relations, Director Simon Corrigan, Special Counsel Dr Paul Vogel, Associate Director Renee Wilkinson, Indigenous engagement specialist and Senior Consultant Jordin Payne and Consultant Sarah-Jane Dabarera. The team is also bolstered by support from Director Caroline Thomson, an internal communications and change management specialist, and CEO Annette Ellis, who specialises in corporate affairs, reputation and crisis management.

Cannings Purple Managing Director Warrick Hazeldine says the creation of the team reflects growing demand from clients.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a huge increase in the need for community and stakeholder engagement and for companies to build social licence for projects,” Mr Hazeldine said.

“It’s imperative that businesses engage with a wide range of stakeholders and work to build positive relationships with local communities.

“Community engagement has always been a core aspect of Cannings Purple’s service offerings but, as a discipline, it’s growing so quickly that it requires a specialist team, dedicated to identifying and implementing best practice and seeking new and innovative ways to do things.

“Charlie Wilson-Clark is the perfect person to lead the team and her outstanding work on the Matagarup Bridge project is a reflection of both her own capabilities and those of Cannings Purple.”

Construction of the Matagarup Bridge, linking East Perth with Optus Stadium, required a 600-metre section of the Swan River to be closed to all vessels for more than two months.

As consultant to the York Rizzani Joint Venture, Cannings Purple led a complex stakeholder engagement program that involved working with local resident groups, local governments, regulators, commercial river users, neighbouring enterprises, institutions and special interest groups, as well as the Whadjuk traditional owners.

Ms Wilson-Clark will co-present on the Matagarup Bridge project at the National Community Engagement in Infrastructure Forum, to be held in Sydney next week.

Cannings Purple is a corporate member of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) and our dedicated engagement team includes two fully accredited practitioners and others on their way to full certification.

Charlie Wilson-Clark is a community and stakeholder engagement specialist, with more than 20 years’ experience and a passion for Indigenous affairs. Contact Charlie.

More Cannings Purple news: