THE Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has announced the appointment of Carla Hoorweg as its new CEO, following a months-long search for a new appointee after former CEO James Goodwin stepped down in May.

Ms Hoorweg will replace interim CEO James Hurnall, and will begin her stint as CEO in December.

With 20 years of experience across the financial, legal and political sectors, Ms Hoorweg most recently served as head of advocacy and regulatory change at financial services firm Challenger.

Prior to that, she worked at the Financial Services Council, and also has experience as a solicitor and as deputy chief of staff and senior policy advisor to the NSW Treasurer.

She replaces Mr Goodwin, who joined ANCAP in October 2015 and left to become CEO of the Australian Airports Association.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Hoorweg said she was looking forward to growing the ANCAP business in Australia and New Zealand.

“I am delighted to be joining such an effective and trusted organisation. I have watched ANCAP grow and gain traction with consumers and the industry, and I am excited to take the organisation into its next phase of evolution,” she said.

“ANCAP plays a crucial role in influencing and encouraging the uptake of the latest safety features and technologies, and its importance in reducing road trauma cannot be understated.”

ANCAP chairman Andy Cornish said Ms Hoorwig’s extensive experience would make a good fit for the organisation.

“Carla brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise in corporate strategy, policy and product development which will help drive the strategic focus of the organisation and strengthen relationships with our broad range of stakeholders, mobility providers and the automotive industry,” he said.

“Carla was selected through a competitive recruitment process with a strong and varied field of candidates.

“Her career achievements and collaborative leadership style are impressive, and we look forward to seeing her skills translate to further improvements in vehicle safety across Australia and New Zealand.”

ANCAP recently announced expanded safety criteria for 2020, with the Isuzu D-Max and Toyota Yaris the first vehicles to score a five-star rating under the new, stricter conditions.

By Robbie Wallis