Goulburn Valley Water (GVW), the Australian utility serving Victoria’s Goulburn Valley region, has confirmed Danielle Roche as its incoming managing director. She takes up the role on 9 September 2026, succeeding Dr Stephen Capewell, who led the organisation from September 2020 until July 2026.
Board chair Mark Stone AM said the selection followed a thorough search process. He noted that Roche’s background covers more than two decades in the water and energy industries, including her current post as general manager, digital business enablement at AusNet Services, along with earlier leadership positions at Queensland Urban Utilities, Veolia Water Technologies and City West Water. In those roles, Stone said, she oversaw large, cross-disciplinary teams managing essential water, wastewater and energy assets.
Her professional background covers asset management, infrastructure planning, engineering, digital transformation, commercial partnerships and safety. Roche holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental) with Honours and a Master of Water Resources Management, both from Deakin University, and completed Harvard Business School’s Purposeful Leader programme in 2023.
According to Stone, the board was particularly drawn to her experience navigating regulated, asset-heavy utility settings, paired with her record on digital transformation and team building. He pointed to the timing of the appointment, coinciding with GVW’s move into a phase of growth and investment tied to Strategy 2035 and the utility’s forthcoming Price Plan 2028 submission, describing Roche’s capacity to steer major transformation efforts and her people-focused leadership style as valuable assets going into this period.
For her part, Roche expressed enthusiasm about the move: “I’m so excited to be joining GVW and becoming part of the Goulburn Valley community. I can’t wait to meet the team, get out across the region, and really get to know the people and communities we serve, and what matters most to them.”
