Deidre Willmott is a former Chief Executive Officer of the

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA), founded in 1890,Poprzeczny, Joe. (1998) ''Roles for community. Obituary of former president of Perth Chamber of Commerce, the WA Employers Federation and the Confederation of WA ...

. Prior to becoming Executive Chairman of Cannings Purple Strategic, Wilmott was Communications Director of External Relations for the

Fortescue Metals Group Fortescue Metals Group Limited (often referred to as Fortescue Metals Group, FMG, or simply Fortescue) is an Australian iron ore company. As of 2017, Fortescue is the fourth-largest iron ore producer in the world. The company has holdings of ...

Early life

She was born in

Bridgetown, Western Australia Bridgetown is a town in the South West (Western Australia), South West region of Western Australia, approximately south of Perth on the Blackwood River at the intersection of South Western Highway with Brockman Highway to Nannup, Western Austra ...

, and studied law at the

University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany, Western Australia, Albany an ...

Career

As a student, Willmott elected was President of the University of Western Australia Student Guild, the second female since its founding in 1913. Willmott was admitted as a legal practitioner in 1986. After working as a commercial lawyer she was General Manager of the

2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006 (Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm 2006'' or ''Naarm 2006''), was an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth held ...

between 2003 and 2006. Willmott was the executive director of the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry between 2006 and 2008. She was the Cabinet Secretary and Chief of Staff for two Western Australian premiers,

Richard Court Richard Fairfax Court (born 27 September 1947) is a former Australian politician and diplomat. He served as Premier of Western Australia from 1993 to 2001 and as Australian Ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2020. A member of the Liberal Party, ...

and

Colin Barnett Colin James Barnett (born 15 July 1950) is a former Australian politician who was the 29th Premier of Western Australia. He concurrently served as the state's Treasurer at several points during his tenure and had previously held various other po ...

between 2008 and 2010. In 2008, she withdrew as the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

candidate for Cottesloe in the 2008 state election, after Barnett decided to rescind his earlier resignation. Following that, she initially accepted an offer by Liberal Party figures to succeed retiring

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Chris Ellison Chris Ellison may refer to: * Chris Ellison (actor) (born 1946), English actor * Chris Ellison (politician) Christopher Martin Ellison (born 15 June 1954) is an Australian lawyer and former politician. He served as a Senator for Western Austral ...

, but that position was eventually filled by Chris Back. Willmott was the initial

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a biennial summit meeting of the governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations. Despite the name, the head of state may be present in the meeting instead of the head of go ...

state director 2011 for Perth.

Personal life

She married a fellow UWA student Michael Lishman. She is the deputy chairman of St Hilda's Anglican SchoolSt Hilda's School Council, Mosman Park, WA - Our School
Sthildas.wa.edu.au. Retrieved on 2012-09-25. and board member of the Senses Foundation.

Early life

Career

Personal life

References

See also