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AFS appoints new Chief Executive Officer

Simon Dorries

Simon Dorries has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Australian Forestry Standard Ltd.

The appointment has been made following a comprehensive recruitment process conducted by the Australian Forestry Standard Ltd Board after the tragic passing of previous National Secretary, Richard Stanton.

“Simon is well qualified to lead the company through its next stage of growth and development,” said Kate Carnell AO, Independent Director and Chair of Australian Forestry Standard Ltd.
“With over 30 years experience in the wood product industry, Simon is well regarded as a leading international expert in the manufacture, quality control and product certification of engineered wood products.”

Simon joins Australian Forestry Standard Ltd after nine years as Chief Executive of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) with extensive experience in product certification, technical promotion, education and training, standards and codes development, brand promotion and recognition, and research and development.

He has been actively involved in standards development for two decades and is currently chairperson of Standards Australia Committee TM-011 Engineered Wood Products, governing product standards for a range of glued wood products including plywood, laminated veneer lumber, particleboard, medium density fibreboard and glue laminated timber.

“One of Simon’s key successes as EWPAA Chief Executive is the highly successful brand awareness campaign, establishing product differentiation between locally manufactured wood products and inferior low-cost substitutes,” said Ms Carnell. “This campaign established EWPAA branded products as the ‘gold standard’ for product quality and reliability.”

The Australian Forestry Standard Ltd Board looks forward to working with Simon to continue to promote the benefits of certification both in Australia and internationally through the company’s Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme endorsed Australian Forest Certification Scheme