Terry A’Hearn joins WSP Environment & Energy | 7th Oct 2010

Terry A'Hearn has joined our business as the Director of our new business area focused on Government and Business Innovation. Currently based in our Melbourne office, Terry will soon transfer to London.

In this new global role, Terry will use his unique experience in regulatory reform and working with business leaders on commercially beneficial approaches to sustainability, to help governments and their agencies to:

• Reduce the costs of running their policy and regulatory programs and create stronger environmental outcomes
• Slash red tape for business in a way that cuts business costs, creates quicker regulatory compliance and stronger environmental results
• Use environmental programs to generate benefits in other portfolios such as industry and education, creating greater social return for every government dollar invested

Outside the regulatory field, Terry will also work with businesses across the world to develop strategies and actions which unlock the enormous commercial opportunities in improving environmental performance and tackling climate change, using his expertise to provide clients with real world solutions that provide commercial benefit.

Terry comments, "Everyone talks about sustainability, but few put it into practice. I've worked with companies who have turned environmental management from a cost imposition into a driver of commercial opportunities and profit growth. I'm looking forward to helping WSP's business clients get a jump on their competition by doing just that."

Prior to joining WSP, Terry was the Acting CEO of the Victorian Environment Protection Authority.  In that role, Terry led reforms that cut some company's regulatory costs by 50%.  One company had 26 licences with 228 pages of prescriptive obligations replaced with a single licence with 3 pages of outcome-focussed conditions.  Put in his own words, "I want to help WSP's government and business clients achieve similar results.  We want to cut regulatory costs, reduce time delays, quicken the achievement of compliance and help spark business innovation through smarter co-operation between regulators and regulated companies'."

Stuart McLachlan, our Global Managing Director, comments, "Terry has been a pioneer of Regulatory Reform and has become internationally renowned for his work in looking at circular economies and the partnership model between regulators and business. He brings connections from across Australia, the UK and USA. We are delighted he is joining our team."