Woodside Petroleum's board of directors has appointed former Australian politician Ian Macfarlane as an independent non-executive director, effective 14 November.
Woodside chairman Michael Chaney said Macfarlane is held in high regard in the Australian resources industry and brings a wealth of relevant experience to the Woodside board.
“Macfarlane was Australia’s longest serving Federal Resources and Energy Minister, and the Coalition’s longest serving Federal Industry and Innovation Minister with over 14 years of experience in both cabinet and shadow ministerial positions,” Chaney said.
On 15 February, Macfarlane announced his retirement from Australian politics. He served as a Cabinet Minister covering the business portfolios with a focus on Australia’s resources, energy, agribusiness, science and innovation, and manufacturing and industry sectors.
Before entering politics, Macfarlane’s experience included farming, and being president of the Queensland Graingrowers Association (1991‐1998) and president of the Grains Council of Australia (1994‐1996).
Currently, he is chief executive of the Queensland Resources Council, chairman of the Innovative Manufacturing Co-operative Research Centre, and a member of the Toowoomba Community Advisory Committee of the University of Queensland Rural Clinical School.