SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) has announced that Vache Kahramanian is taking over from Varant Meguerditchian as Executive Director of the community's peak public affairs body.

Kahramanian, the Political Affairs Director of ANC Australia for the last six years, is looking forward to his new role.

“I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead the organisation moving forward,” Kahramanian said.

“Many challenges still lie ahead for ANC Australia as we look to build upon the great progress we have made on Armenian issues in recent years.”

After serving as Board Member, President and Executive Director of ANC Australia over much of the last decade, Meguerditchian will be moving on to accept a new career opportunity.

Meguerditchian said: “I leave with the complete confidence that my colleagues at ANC Australia will ensure the continued growth of the organisation and maintain its reputation as one of the leading ethnic advocacy organisations in Australia.”

“I will remember my time serving ANC Australia fondly and will continue to closely follow the successes of the organisation into the future.”

Kahramanian praised his predecessor for his many years of service.

"I thank Varant for his many years of great service and am grateful for the platform he has left for me to build upon," he said.

Honorary Chairman of ANC Australia, Greg Soghomonian, was full of praise for Meguerditchian while also expressing that the change in personnel was evidence his organisation's "succession planning" was "yielding results".

"Varant has been integral to the growth of ANC Australia as our first full-time Executive Director, helping us transition from a voluntary organisation to one professionally representating the Armenian community in public life," Soghomonian said.

"We are delighted Vache has accepted the role as he is more than capable to build upon our success of the last few years."

Soghomonian added: "Succession planning has been a recent focus of ours, and Vache's appointment shows it is yielding results. And the community can expect to witness more such results in coming months."