Michelle McLean

Michelle McLean is Chief Commissioner of the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), the State’s key regulator of the building and plumbing industries. Appointed in September 2020, she brings to the role her specialist expertise in governance, finance, legal compliance and regulation. She also holds roles as Deputy Chair of the Country Fire Authority (CFA); is a Board Member of Frontier SI and East Gippland Water.

The VBA’s functions include registering and licensing building practitioners and plumbers, monitoring and enforcing building and plumbing standards, and performing inspections and audits of building and plumbing work across Victoria. Her new role at the VBA gives Michelle oversight of this key industry body as the COVID-19 recovery gets underway. “I see my role as to ensure that we are a strong, effective regulator that gives confidence to a wide range of stakeholders from insurers and financiers through to the wider community. Central to that is ensuring that Victorian construction practices and processes are of the highest quality.”

Previously, Michelle was Managing Partner and CEO of independent law firm Cornwalls (previously Cornwall Stodart). At Cornwall’s, she was responsible for the strategic development of the firm, as well as maintaining its high standards in people management, finance and governance. Michelle has also maintained a strong interest in mentoring younger partners and senior associates to ensure they are strong in their endeavours and are guided in their professional development.

Michelle’s ability to identify stakeholder risks and work collaboratively to generate solutions for reform, renewal and transformation has been developed over multiple leadership roles. She is the former President of the Australian Legal Practice Management Association, an Advisory Board Member of the Melbourne University Business School and other previous non-executive roles include board roles with Victorian Chamber of Commerce and member of the Executive Council of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce (VECCI), the Mercy Health Foundation, Overnewton Anglican Community College and Acom International.

Michelle has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and has a Graduate Diploma of Australian Institute of Company Directors – GAICD; and is a member of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Risk Management Institute and is a life member of the Australian Legal Practice Management Association, where she served as national president from 2002 to 2005.