Members Directory

CEW members are leaders across diverse sectors in Australia, including government, business, sport, academia, the arts, and the not-for-profit sector.

Our members share a unifying goal: to remove systemic barriers and create pipelines that enable Australian women to rise to leadership positions in their communities. This ensures a diversity of women's voices at every decision-making table while supporting both women and men to thrive—at work and home.

Nicole Sumich

Nicole Sumich
• Starting my career as a Chemical Engineer in a technical and hands-on environment in Oil and Gas, I soon began studying a Masters in Business and Technology before moving into the world of consulting, experiencing a much broader array of industries. Here I developed deep problem-solving skills and honed my ability to establish credibility and influence across all levels of organisations, from operational staff through to Boards of Directors. • After 5 years consulting and as the mother of two young children, I took the leap into the private equity world, in a particularly supportive, family-oriented organisation where I was given my first, and career-changing experience leading an organisation. • Today, after 18 years of P&L accountability for organisations ranging from $100m to $800m revenue, up to 27 locations and 1500 employees, across private and public sector, I am now the CEO, APAC for Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) and a member of its global executive team. • Throughout my career, I have led many businesses through extremely difficult turnarounds and in more recent years, I have enjoyed developing and leading growth strategies, ultimately creating businesses with enduring value. • I am an empathetic and authentic leader with a particular interest in developing people and cultures to support and deliver strategic growth, whilst also maintaining strong social conscience and minimising the impact of the operations on our planet. • In addition, and possibly as a result of the sparsity of female role models during my 30 years in industrial manufacturing environments, I now take a leading role in the personal development of other female leaders within my organisations, something that gives me great pleasure. • In association with the roles that I have fulfilled in more recent years, I have also held the following Board roles: o Concrete Pipes Association of Australia – 2018-2021 o Plastic Industry Pipe Association of Australia – 2021 and served as Director of Iplex Pipelines Australia Pty Limited from 2014 to 2020, Rocla Limited from 2018 to 2021 and Stramit Corporation Limited during 2022. • On a personal level, I also had the pleasure of serving as Secretary and Vice President of the Newington College Football Association between 2018 and 2020.
0414787939
nicole.sumich@rwc.com