Philip Weickhardt - Commissioner

Philip Weickhardt

Commissioner

Philip commenced as a Commissioner (part time) with the Productivity Commission in January 2004.

He is currently the Presiding Commissioner on the inquiry into Electricity Network Regulation.

Philip has also worked as a Commissioner on:

• Economic Structure and Performance of the Australian Retail Industry
• Rural Research and Development Corporations
  
• Australia's Anti-dumping and Countervailing System
• Australia's Consumer Policy Framework
• Medical Technology
• National Competition Policy
• Review of Regulatory Burden on the Upstream Petroleum Sector
• Waste Generation and Resource Efficiency

He had previously served as Associate Commissioner in 2002 and 2003 on:

• Auto Industry
• Post 2005 Textile Clothing and Footwear Assistance Arrangements

Prior to this period, Philip was CEO and Managing Director of Orica Limited (previously ICI Australia Limited) from 1997 until July 2001. Orica is a publicly listed company and is Australia's largest chemical company and the world's largest commercial explosives company, with operations in more than 50 countries. Orica now has annual revenues of more than $5 billion and approximately 12,000 employees.

Mr Weickhardt was appointed an Executive Director of ICI Australia in 1994 and was a Director and then Chairman of Incitec Ltd and ICI NZ Limited between 1994 and 1998.

After joining ICI PLC in the UK in 1971, Mr Weickhardt worked in a variety of research, production and project management roles in the UK until 1978 when he transferred to ICI Australia. In Australia he gained wide experience in both established and start up business management roles.

Mr Weickhardt is currently Chairman of Earthwatch Institute, a not for profit organisation which contributes to scientific research on environmental issues. He also does some teaching for Melbourne Business School in the Executive Education area.

Philip, has a Master of Science (Physical Chemistry) from Melbourne University, is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was a member of the Business Council of Australia and Chairman of its Energy Reform Task Force from 1997 to 2001, and was a member of the Government's Trade Policy Advisory Council from 2000 to 2001. In 1990 Mr Weickhardt completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.