Ben Wyatt wins top gong at WA business honours

Former politician and professional director Ben Wyatt has been named Business Leader of the Year at the 2024 WA Pinnacle Awards. The former WA Treasurer — and the first Indigenous man to hold the office — was recognised as a leader who had stayed “true to his values and persisted with pushing for meaningful and better outcomes.” “He has never shied away from difficult tasks or complex challenges,” Australian Institute of Management WA chief executive Professor Gary Martin said. “He has acknowledged his position as a role model - and that he serves as a benchmark for others.” After studying law at the University of Western Australia Mr Wyatt worked at Minter Ellison’s Perth office, and then joined as counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions of Western Australia. A long and full political career begun thereafter. Mr Wyatt won the seat of Victoria Park in 2006 and joined State Parliament in opposition in 2008 as shadow treasurer. He retained the portfolio alongside then-Premier Mark McGowan when Labor stormed to a landslide victory in the 2017 election. Mr Wyatt retired from the public sector in 2021 and very swiftly settled into the corporate world, landing a board seat with Woodside Energy. He joined the board of West Coast Eagles and global mining giant Rio Tinto that same year. He added human services provider APM to his board resume in 2022. Past winners of the award, which was launched in 2013, include Rob Scott, Bill Beament, Richard Goyder, Andrew Forrest, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, Nev Power, the late Stan Perron, Adrian Fini, Sue Murphy, Chris Ellison and Gina Rinehart. All winners — which were announced at a gala event at Crown Perth on Thursday night — received $20,000 worth of workplace training to donate to a charity of their choice.