A SUPREME Court of NSW solicitor, Christine Covington, has been chosen to chair the City Renewal Authority after its current chair Dr Michael Easson decided to step down at the end of the month. 

Ms Covington, who is the authority’s inaugural current deputy chair, will take the role of chair on July 1, which marks the end of Dr Easson’s three-year term.

Ms Covington is the Sydney partner in charge at law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth, a former board member of the firm and a foundation member of its diversity council. She has more than 34 years’ experience in property, planning and environmental law, and has held roles on other boards including as chair of affordable housing provider, City West Housing Pty Limited, board member of the NSW Environment Protection Authority and board member of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority.

Nigel Chamier, an inaugural member of the authority, has been appointed deputy chair. He worked with the international property firm, JLL, for almost 20 years and sits on a range of public and private sector boards, including the Menzies Heath Institute of Queensland and Oxley Creek Transformation Pty Ltd.

A new board member, Alison Kimber, was appointed to the board, too, and will join existing board members Ken Maher and Gabrielle Trainor.

Ms Kimber has expertise in strategy, governance, risk management, facilitation and change leadership, and more than 30 years’ experience in the finance, government and not-for-profit sectors where she has led major reforms. She has a background in international banking and capital markets, which helped develop a strong business and commercial acumen, as well as considerable experience in government policy development and the national regulatory system for community housing.

In the lead up to Dr Easson’s departure, City Renewal Authority CEO Malcolm Snow says Dr Easson made an outstanding contribution to the establishment of the authority and to the renewal of the city precinct over the past three years.

“As chair, Dr Easson has guided the authority through a number of significant projects and milestones including the creation of a comprehensive City Precinct Renewal Program, the opening of Henry Rolland Park, public space upgrades to London Circuit and Akuna Street, and the implementation of placemaking programs for Dickson, Braddon and Haig Park,” Mr Snow says.