Announcing an interim CEO for the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust

07 February 2024

I am pleased to announce a significant milestone in the journey of the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT). We are delighted to introduce our new Interim Chief Executive Officer, Lucinda Nolan, who will officially assume the role starting Monday 12 February.

Lucinda brings her exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a wealth of experience to SMCT. With a proven track record of success as a former CEO of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, she is well-positioned to lead SMCT into a new era of growth and innovation.

Following more than 30 years of service to the force, Lucinda rose to become Deputy Commissioner of Victoria Police and has served in other key executive roles including CEO of the Country Fire Authority. She is committed to driving organisational success, fostering collaboration, and delivering results. Her passion for SMCT aligns seamlessly with our core values, making her the ideal candidate to guide our organisation forward on an interim basis.

We extend our gratitude to the outgoing CEO, Laz Cotsios, for his dedicated service and contributions to our organisation since 2022. Under Laz's leadership, we achieved significant inroads into our Strategic Planning agenda and commenced important work to identify future cemetery sites to service south-east Melbourne's expanding population.

We look forward to welcoming Lucinda Nolan as SMCT heads towards its 15th year of serving the needs of our communities professionally and with compassion.


Dr Vanda Fortunato
Trust Chair
Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust

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