Ms Samantha Read
Ms Samantha Read was appointed CEO of Chemistry Australia in January 2014.
Chemistry Australia is the peak body representing the $38 billion chemicals and plastics industry. Providing inputs to 108 of Australia’s 114 industries and direct employment for 61,000 people, the sector is central to Australia’s economic success and social wellbeing.
As CEO, Ms Read provides industry leadership and advocacy to build and promote a vibrant market sector.
As a Director, CEO and engineer, Ms Read’s career spans more than 30 years across the chemicals, plastics, renewable fuels, automotive and steel industries.
Ms Read has chaired and contributed to numerous government and industry boards and committees focused on policy development and implementation to drive growth and investment in Australian manufacturing.
She is currently a member of the Australian Government’s International Trade Remedies Forum, the Strategic Consultative Committee for Australia’s Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme, WorkSafe Victoria’s OHS Advisory Committee, CSIRO's Ending Plastic Waste Mission Advisory Group and the Monash Industry Council of Advisors.
Ms Read is a former Non-Executive Director of Manufacturing Skills Australia.
Prior to joining Chemistry Australia, she was CEO of the Biofuels Association of Australia and held senior executive and board roles at GM Holden and General Motors Australia and was a Non-Executive Director of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
With significant experience in strategy, corporate affairs, business transformation and partnership development, she possesses deep industry and supply chain knowledge. Ms Read has worked across Australia and the Asia Pacific and collaborated internationally. Ms Read commenced her career at BHP, working in research, strategic planning and manufacturing roles.
Ms Read is a passionate advocate for Australian industry and its significant contribution to Australia’s economic health and community wellbeing, providing skilled and high value STEM jobs, investment and new technologies to meet our future challenges.
Ms Read has a long-held interest in supporting diversity and inclusion and is committed to helping develop the next generation of Australian industry leaders. Today, Ms Read actively mentors women and emerging leaders and has recently developed a pilot program to formally train aspiring leaders in the Australian chemistry industry.
In her local community, Ms Read chairs the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Bendigo Committee and was Deputy Chair of Cobaw Community Health.
Ms Read holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and Graduate of the AICD. In 2015, she was honoured as the Distinguished Alumnus for the Faculty of Engineering at Monash University and was a finalist in the 2014 Telstra Business Women's Awards.