Dear UDIA Victoria members and partners,

After an incredible six years as Chief Executive Officer of UDIA Victoria, today is my last day in the role.  It has been one of the biggest privileges of my life to lead UDIA Victoria and work alongside our amazing members and partners. I will always remember my time with the organisation as a period full of incredible people and amazing achievements.

This year in particular, I have been immensely proud of our industry. Together, we truly demonstrated why we are an essential service.  Working to keep the industry open, operating and COVID Safe through the depths of the pandemic, was the most important outcome we achieved this year – and we did it as an industry, together.

The remarkable leadership shown by Victoria’s building, development and construction industry deeply entrenched UDIA Victoria as a trusted advisor to Government. In 2020, we built on important advocacy wins and played a key role in Government’s decisions around the easing of industry-specific restrictions, generational planning reform, and vital homebuying stimulus support.

We could not have achieved these wins without you.

My time with UDIA Victoria has been extremely rewarding, which is why the decision to move on to a new challenge was so difficult.  I’ve had the pleasure of working hand in hand with UDIA Victoria’s wonderful team – Angela Gaedke, Hyatt Nidam, Luke Green, Meg O’Halloran and Nikita Bourbos, and many others who have been a part of the team over the years.  I’ve also had the privilege of learning from incredible Board members and Committee members – there are just too many to list.  A big thanks goes to David Payes, Damien Tangey, Jason Shaw and Ashley Williams, who have served as Presidents of UDIA Victoria during my time as CEO.  Your support, learnings and experience have propelled the organisation forward to reach new heights.

I am proud of what we have achieved together, and know that I leave the organisation as a capable, sustainable and influential membership association primed and ready to serve its members and partners into the future.

In 2021, I’ll be taking up the role of Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia. In the meantime, I am leaving UDIA Victoria in the extremely capable hands of Angela Gaedke who will take up the role of Acting CEO while a recruitment process is undertaken by the Board in January 2021. Angela has worked closely with me in leading the organisation since my appointment to the role of CEO six years ago, and has an intimate knowledge of this industry and our members. She has previously held the position of Acting CEO of UDIA Victoria, and I have no doubt she will do an exceptional job leading the organisation in an interim capacity until the Board has completed a rigorous recruitment process to find my replacement.

Thank you to our wonderful UDIA Victoria Board of Directors, Partners, Sponsors, Committee members and the dedicated team. I am so extremely grateful for the opportunities and learnings I have gained in this role.

Finally, thank you to our members. I will always appreciate the engagement and support you have shown our organisation throughout 2020, and in every year that I have had the honour of representing the urban development industry in my role as CEO at UDIA Victoria.

All the best,

Danni Hunter

Chief Executive Officer