Town of Claremont appoints new Chief Executive Officer

The Town of Claremont is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr John Pearson as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a highly competitive recruitment process that attracted 61 applicants.

Council made the appointment at its meeting on 3 February 2026, citing Mr Pearson’s depth of local government leadership experience and his strong alignment with the Town’s values and aspirations for the future.

Mr Pearson currently serves as Director of Corporate Services at the City of Rockingham, a role he has held since 2008. He also brings contemporary governance and sector-wide insight through his appointment as a Non-Executive Director of the Local Government Insurance Scheme (WA) since 2019.

Previously, Mr Pearson served as Chief Executive Officer of the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley from 2005 to 2008, providing him with substantial executive experience across diverse local government contexts.

A highly qualified finance and governance professional, Mr Pearson holds a Master of Accounting and a Bachelor of Commerce, and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Directors Course.

Mr Pearson’s connection to Claremont is longstanding, having attended school within the Town, and he has expressed a strong commitment to “making Claremont the best local government in the State”.

“I’m looking forward to working with the Mayor and Council to build on their commitment to being an industry‑leading local government in Western Australia. Town of Claremont has a strong team, and my focus will be on creating the conditions that let officers do their best work, develop professionally and deliver consistent value to the community,” Mr Pearson said.

“The Town of Claremont offers a rare combination of scale and capability that allows for practical, well‑considered planning and decision‑making. I’m keen to apply my experience to help accelerate Claremont’s progress toward being a strategically focused local government where long‑term planning underpins outcomes,” he added.

Mayor Telford said, “Council believes Mr Pearson will bring a strong sense of civic pride and confident, values-based leadership to the Town.”

“We’re delighted to have secured a highly capable CEO in Mr Pearson. Council looks forward to a strong, constructive partnership with John, built on open communication, mutual respect and a shared focus on delivering outstanding outcomes for the Claremont community,” the Mayor added.

Mr Pearson will commence as Chief Executive Officer of the Town of Claremont on 2 June 2026. Mr Tim Clynch will continue in the role of Interim CEO until Mr Pearson commences.