Urban policy think tank Committee for Sydney today announced Eamon Waterford as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Eamon joins the Committee from the NSW Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade, where as Chief Strategy Officer he leads cluster strategic planning for 5,000 staff responsible for transforming NSW’s economy and making the state’s communities vibrant, safe and active.

“I’m so excited by the opportunity to head up the Committee for Sydney, one of our city’s most influential and important civic voices,” he said.

“As a lifelong Sydneysider, I am proud to have an opportunity to help make Sydney the best city in the world – for everyone.”

Michael Rose AM, Chair of the Committee for Sydney Board, said he was thrilled to welcome Eamon Waterford to the role.

“Eamon has a clear vision for a more liveable, equitable and sustainable Sydney and a passion for bringing people together to work on those goals.

“He has a long history with the Committee. He was our deputy CEO before joining government and over the years developed some of our most impactful policy research.”

“Eamon returns with experience at the centre of government, working on critical aspects of the Covid-19 economic recovery and the transition of our economy over the past two years. We’re looking forward to welcoming him back.”

Eamon will begin the role of CEO in late February. In the interim, Michael Rose will continue as Executive Chair and Ehssan Veiszadeh will remain as Interim CEO.

Career notes:

Eamon’s career has spanned the social, economic and urban needs of Sydney. His first job was working side-by-side with people experiencing longterm homelessness in Penrith and Blacktown to understand their challenges, and advocate to governments to invest in getting people into homes.

He developed social policy for Youth Action NSW, the peak body for young people and the services that support them across NSW, and UnitingCare, a major charity supporting vulnerable and marginalised people across NSW.

Before joining government, Eamon was Deputy CEO and Policy Director at the Committee for Sydney, working with both previous chief executives – Dr Tim Williams and Gabriel Metcalf.

As the Committee’s Policy Director, Eamon delivered more than 40 reports, including work on density done well, benchmarking Sydney’s performance, affordable housing and the opportunity of a six city megaregion unlocked through fast rail:

• Making Great Places: Density Done Well
• The Benchmarking Sydney series
• Unleashing Sydney’s Innovation Economy
• The Sandstone Megaregion

Eamon is also engaged in broader Sydney society as a member of the Monkey Baa Theatre Company board, while previously serving as a Board Director of the NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS), the Sydney Community Foundation, and Sydney Alliance.