After four months out in the cold since resigning as CEO, WiseTech (ASX: WTC) founder Richard White is back in charge of the logistics software group with his appointment today as executive chairman to fill a looming board vacuum.

The appointment comes on the heels of a mass resignation of four non-executive directors announced earlier this week and it puts White in firm control of the $32.5 billion company’s product development and growth strategy.

He will also help oversee the appointment of a new CEO, after chief financial officer Andrew Cartledge stepped in as interim CEO last October in the wake of White’s resignation.

“The executive chairman will, in conjunction with the nomination committee, oversee succession planning including completion of the internal and external search process for a permanent chief executive officer,” says WiseTech in an announcement to the ASX today.

Following today’s announcement, White is directly back in charge at WiseTech just four months after he resigned following weeks of salacious media coverage of an ugly legal spat between the tech billionaire and former girlfriend Linda Rogan, a wellness entrepreneur based in Sydney.

While White quit as CEO in October, he was anointed with the new title of “founder and founding CEO", reporting to the chair and the board of the company for a 10-year term at $1 million a year.

WiseTech, which today posted a 38 per cent increase in net profit to US$106.4 million ($167.57 million) for the first half of FY25, says White’s remuneration as executive chairman will not exceed his pre-October 2024 salary as CEO – which comprised a fixed annual remuneration of $1 million.

White’s appointment as executive chairman was triggered by the resignation on Monday this week of non-executive directors Lisa Brock, Richard Dammery, Michael Malone and Fiona Pak-Poy who cited “intractable differences in the board and differing views” around White’s ongoing role at the company.

“Due to the resignation of four directors, the company does not currently satisfy the ASX listing rules requirement that its audit and risk committee comprise at least three non-executive directors,” says WiseTech.

“The company intends to appoint additional independent directors as soon as practicable so that this rule can be complied with. The board expects that at least one appointment will occur within four weeks.”

WiseTech has already appointed Mike Gregg, a founding partner of the $100 million venture capital fund Shearwater Capital, as lead independent director and he assumes his position from today.

“The lead independent director will have carriage of governance related matters and the board renewal process,” says the company.

“He will also lead the board (excluding Mr White) in overseeing the completion of the board review announced on 24 October 2024.”

WiseTech says that Gregg shortly will be briefed by advisory firm Seyfarth Shaw on the status of the review “to ensure all relevant parties are interviewed and that a thorough approach with due process is followed”.

“It is anticipated that an update as to the status of the report will be provided to the market in mid to late March,” says the company.

 Despite the boardroom drama, WiseTech has posted a solid first-half result as revenue grew 17 per cent to US$381 million.

Underlying EBITDA increase 28 per cent to US$192.3 million as margins grew five percentage points to 50 per cent.

Interim CEO Andrew Cartledge says revenue and EBITDA were in line with expectations. However, revenue was at the bottom end of guidance after WiseTech earlier this week revealed delays in rolling out new products.

Shares in WiseTech were trading about 3 per cent higher at $97.11 at 10.49am (AEDT) – still below the $100 mark since the announcement of the board resignations on Monday.

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