Brian Wills-Johnson

Brian Wills-Johnson completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in philosophy, at the University of Western Australia in 1968. In the same year he joined The West Australian newspaper as a cadet journalist.

In his 15 years as a journalist he reported in a wide variety of fields, and specialised in mining and financial journalism. He was appointed as the newspaper's Finance Editor in 1979, and held that post until late in 1982, when he was appointed Public Relations Manager for Alcoa of Australia Limited's Western Australian Operations.

In 1997 he became Corporate Relations Manager, responsible for Alcoa's public relations program throughout Australia. He is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (chairing the W.A. Chapter of the College of Fellows) and a member of the International Association of Business Communicators. In 1992 the PRIA named him inaugural "Public Relations Practitioner of the Year" for WA.

His current and recent community positions include Trustee of the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (chairing the W.A. Advisory Board), Executive Member of the United Nations Environment Programme's Global 500 Environmental Forum, Deputy Chairman of the National Trust of Australia (WA), member of Murdoch University's Industry-Environment Advisory Committee, and a visiting lecturer in Public Relations at both Curtin and Edith Cowan universities.

Brian is married with three children, and his private interests include genealogy and bricklaying.