Pictured: Winarch Group COO Melissa Truscott

Australian events and tourism precinct operator Cedar Mill Group, and strategic property development firm Winarch Capital, have today announced the establishment of a new parent company, with Melissa Truscott appointed Chief Operating Officer for the new entity. 

The changes will see Cedar Mill Group and Winarch Capital brought together under the umbrella of Winarch Group. An experienced leader, Truscott brings extensive management experience to her new role as COO, where she’ll oversee operations across the group. Truscott will work on the leadership team alongside Cedar Mill Group and Winarch Capital CEO Kyle McKendry, who will now serve as CEO of Winarch Group.

Prior to joining Winarch Capital, Truscott was Group COO for a national multi-jurisdictional organisation within the property industry. Alongside her career commitments, Truscott has served as a board member for a not-for-profit banking institution, as well as five years as a board member for Strata Community Association (NSW), including Chairperson for the Education Committee (NSW), a member of the Audit and Risk Committee (NSW), and a member of the National Education Committee.

In her new role, Truscott is tasked with the development, management and re-engineering of systems and processes across all business operations within Winarch Group. As a result, she’ll work on the development and management of corporate support services to both Winarch Capital and Cedar Mill Group, across human resources, corporate finance, information technology, asset management, and brand management and marketing.

Of her appointment, Truscott said: “I’m extremely energised to contribute to the structural development of Winarch Group during this significant growth phase, including the lead up to operational launch for Cedar Mill Group and in the expansion of the development projects being undertaken by Winarch Capital.”

Paul Lambess, Cedar Mill Group and Winarch Capital’s Founder and Managing Director, said: “The establishment of Winarch Group will allow us to streamline our operations and run both businesses in the most efficient way. Melissa is a highly accomplished, resilient and experienced leader with extensive management experience across various disciplines, making her a perfect candidate to oversee the operations for this newly established entity.”

Cedar Mill Group has worked to deliver some of the largest, most important and iconic events throughout Australia. Its Sydney events have ranged from the Sydney Harbour Bridge 90th Anniversary to the delivery of stadium concert sites. The company is currently developing tourism precincts with permanent outdoor performance shells in Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Valley in NSW and in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, with another planned for South-East Queensland.

With the support of Business Sydney and Business Western Sydney, Cedar Mill Group also recently put forward an exciting proposal for the creation of three permanent performance shells in three iconic Greater Sydney parklands – The Domain in Sydney’s CBD, The Crescent in Parramatta Park, and Thompsons Creek Regional Parkland in Bradfield.

These permanent performance shells are acoustical, high-tech sound shell structures designed to improve the sound and clarity of performances, enhancing both the performer’s and patrons’ experience. They can host a wide range of performing arts, festivals, major concerts, movie screenings and community events. These iconic cultural pavilions, with their minimalist and contemporary design, have become part of the cultural infrastructure of many overseas cities. The business case, ‘Greater Entertainment for Greater Sydney: Permanent Performance Shells in Sydney’s Iconic Parklands’, maps out how permanent performance shells would revitalise Sydney’s outdoor entertainment sector, bringing over 2,300 permanent jobs and $450 million to its economy every year, while bolstering the city’s night-time economy.