The Australian Restructuring, Insolvency and Turnaround Association (ARITA) has lost its chief executive Jonathan Smithers after four months in the job, with registered liquidator and industry veteran John Melluish to formally take over on December 15.
In a statement circulated to members yesterday afternoon the ARITA board said Smithers had resigned.
“After some consideration, Jonathan Smithers has decided to move on from ARITA for personal and professional reasons and wishes all colleagues the very best for the future,” the board said.
“The Board thanks Jonathan and wishes him the best for the future.”
iNO’s mail is that the ARITA board gave the former President of the Law Society of England and Wales and CEO of the Law Council of Australia no choice following the departure of two key staff members and negative feedback from those remaining.
Emails sent to Smithers’ @arita and personal email addresses were not responded to by iNO’s deadline.
Melluish, who spent 10 years on the ARITA board between 2000 and 2010 including two years as national president, nominated for the CEO role vacated by Smithers’ predecessor John Winter in May. His appointment means ARITA has had three CEOs in six months.
Given Melluish’s background and long involvement with the organisation, ARITA members will likely be reassured by this appointment.
It won’t surprise iNO though if questions are asked about the selection criteria ARITA’s board provided to recruiter Noel Rowland of Brown & Chase, who will obviously be miffed his candidate couldn’t even see out the probationary period.
How the ARITA board can be singing Melluish’s praises now when four months ago they overlooked him in favour of Smithers is a question only the board can answer.
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