NEIL Stephens has officially been appointed chief executive officer of Port of Brisbane.
Stepping into the role of interim CEO in August last year, Mr Stephens has led the port for the past eight months while continuing in his capacity as chief financial officer.
He maintained this acting position as the board undertook a search for a new CEO following the resignation of former chief executive Roy Cummins that month.
The appointment was announced by PBPL chairman Guy Cowan, who said the board had worked with a leading executive search firm to conduct an extensive international search, reaching high calibre-leaders from a broad range of backgrounds and industries.
“As a board, we have been impressed with Neil’s leadership as interim CEO with the strong support of the port’s executive leadership team, during what has been a challenging period for our industry and the Australian and global economy as a whole,” Mr Cowan said in a statement.
“We believe that Neil is the right person to lead the organisation moving forward and we are excited to see PBPL deliver on its long-term vision to be Australia’s premier port and logistics hub.
“On behalf of the PBPL Board of Directors, I would like to congratulate Neil on his appointment and thank the entire Port of Brisbane team for their ongoing support and commitment.”
PBPL CEO Neil Stephens described the opportunity to lead the Port of Brisbane though its next phase of growth as a great privilege.
“I’m excited to continue working with our team, our customers, our stakeholders and our shareholders to grow value for the entire port community,” Mr Stephens said.
“We’ve seen the port community respond magnificently to both COVID-19 challenges and the recent flooding crisis.
“As we continue to recover and as Queensland continues to grow as we head towards the 2032 Olympics, we have a lot to look forward to.
“I know the Port of Brisbane team is up for the challenge.”
