Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for the role, Chief Executive Officer, CopperString.

Chief Executive Officer

CopperString Project

Location: Queensland, preferably Townsville or Brisbane, with frequent travel across North and North West Queensland

Company Overview The CopperString Project is one of Australia's most significant energy infrastructure undertakings, a large-scale transmission network that will connect North and North West Queensland to the national electricity market.

QIC has established a dedicated company to deliver the CopperString Project, and is now building the team, capability and governance to take a nationally important “mega project” through its next phases of development and delivery. This is a rare opportunity to shape and lead an enterprise of genuine scale and regional impact from the ground up.

About The Role

As founding Chief Executive Officer, you will set the strategic direction for the organisation and build the capability required to deliver the CopperString Project safely, commercially and to schedule.

Reporting to the Board, you will lead across every dimension of the enterprise, strategy, delivery, commercial, stakeholder, regulatory and people, while representing the project to government, industry, communities and partners. You will be both the architect of the organisation and its most senior external advocate, balancing delivery discipline with the relationship-building essential to a project of this profile.

This is a whole-of-enterprise leadership role for someone who thrives in complexity, ambiguity and high visibility, and who wants to leave a lasting mark on Queensland's infrastructure landscape.

About You

You are an accomplished chief executive or senior enterprise leader with a track record of building organisations and delivering major, complex infrastructure.



You combine commercial and delivery credibility with the stakeholder, political and social-licence acumen needed to lead a project of significant public importance.

You are comfortable operating in a government-owned or highly regulated environment, engaging confidently with shareholders, boards, regulators, communities and investors alike. You bring calm judgement under scrutiny, the resilience to sustain momentum through uncertainty, and the presence to build trust across diverse audiences.

Above all, you are motivated by the opportunity to deliver something nationally significant and regionally transformative.

Key Accountabilities & Requirements

- Strategic leadership: set and execute the enterprise strategy, translating shareholder and Board expectations into a clear, deliverable plan.
- Major project delivery: provide executive oversight of the CopperString Project, ensuring robust controls over cost, schedule, safety, risk and quality, with a "no surprises" approach to time and budget.
- Stakeholder & social licence: build and maintain trust with government, regulators, landholders, Traditional Owners, communities and industry, and act as the project's lead public advocate.
- Commercial & financial: oversee capital allocation, procurement, contracting and financial performance, ensuring commercial discipline and value across the project lifecycle.
- Governance & risk: operate within the Board's risk appetite, maintaining strong governance, assurance and reporting consistent with a government-owned accountability framework.




- People & organisation: build, lead and develop the executive team, capability and culture required to deliver at scale.

Capabilities

- Strategic and visionary leadership: sets a compelling direction and aligns the organisation behind it.
- Commercial and delivery discipline: drives outcomes on time and on budget through rigorous execution.
- Stakeholder, government and external leadership: builds trusted relationships and navigates complex political, regulatory and community environments.
- Governance, risk and organisational capability: leads with strong governance and builds enduring organisational strength.
- Communication and influence: engages and influences with credibility, clarity and judgement across every audience.

Qualifications

Essential

- Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline (e.g. engineering, business, commerce, law, finance or project management).
- Demonstrated senior executive leadership in a complex infrastructure, energy, utilities, transmission or comparable setting.

Desirable

- Postgraduate qualifications (e.g. MBA or executive leadership program).
- AICD membership or equivalent governance experience.
- Experience in a board-governed, shareholder-owned or government-adjacent environment.
- Experience with major regional, linear infrastructure or energy transition projects.

Location

Based in Queensland, preferably Townsville or Brisbane, with frequent travel across North and North West Queensland essential to the role. A visible regional presence is expected, reflecting the CopperString Project's footprint and the importance of local stakeholder, community, Traditional Owner and landholder relationships.

Applications

Applications close 5.00pm Friday 11 September 2026. Please send your resume and covering letter to [email protected]

📌 Chief Executive Officer, CopperString (Brisbane)
🏢 Korn Ferry
📍 Brisbane