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Bali bombing survivor takes helm of WA electricity retailer Synergy

Headshot of Sean Smith
Sean SmithThe West Australian
New Synergy chief executive David Fyfe.
Camera IconNew Synergy chief executive David Fyfe. Credit: Supplied

A survivor of the Bali bombings 20 years ago has been tapped as the new boss of State-owned electricity retailer Synergy.

David Fyfe, Synergy’s head of commercial and its acting chief executive, succeeds Jason Waters, who took the helm of the Perth Mint last month.

Prior to joining Synergy in 2020 as its general manager, commercial, Mr Fyfe was with Western Power for more than 10 years where he was executive manager of operations and acting chief executive.

Mr Fyfe’s right leg was amputated in the aftermath of the bombings in October 2002 that killed more than 200 people, including 88 Australians.

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Then 33, he was on an end-of-year soccer trip and standing on the edge of the dance floor at Paddy’s Bar in Kuta when the first of three bombs went off. He awoke from an induced coma in Royal Perth Hospital 13 days later.

By then, his leg had been amputated just below the knee by burns surgeon Fiona Wood, who was named Australian of the Year in 2005 for her work in caring for the Bali bombing survivors.

Mr Fyfe has since emerged as a passionate advocate of RPH and Professor Wood’s Fiona Wood Foundation, where he has been a board member since 2013.

The former Scot has been running Synergy, which has more than one million customers, in an acting capacity since Mr Waters stepped down in February.

Energy Minister Bill Johnston said Mr Fyfe’s experience across WA “places him in a strong position for the challenges and opportunities he will face, as we progress towards a low-carbon, renewable energy future”.

“He has a proven track record of delivering customer-focused business strategies and achieving success in the two major government trading enterprises in the energy sector,” Mr Johnston said.

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