Richmond Wellbeing has appointed Neil Guard as its new CEO starting May 2016.

Richmond Wellbeing is a not-for-profit mental health agency that brings recovery into mainstream mental health practices and supports individuals with mental health issues on their recovery journey.

Guard’s career includes more than 20 years in executive roles in both the corporate sector in the UK and public sector in Western Australia. For the past eight months he has worked in the not-for-profit sector and said he is delighted to be commencing as CEO of Richmond Wellbeing.

The Board Chair Eric Baines said, “Richmond Wellbeing is very pleased to have secured Neil for the role and is confident that he will provide strong leadership to the organisation in assisting the Richmond team to maintain its position at the forefront of providing mental health services in WA.”

Until July 2015, Guard was the Executive Director of the WA Drug and Alcohol Office, a position he held for seven years. During his time there he worked with the Minister for Mental Health for six months to lead the establishment of the WA Mental Health Commission.

His previous roles include Executive Director of Healthway for five years and four years as Director of Accommodation Services in the Disability Services Commission.

Guard is also the Chairman of the Board of the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University, a member of the Board of Activ Foundation and Chair of the Activ Service Advisory Committee.