Tell us about where you work and what you did before that.

I’ve been the chief executive officer of Southern Ports Authority since January 2019, so a bit over three-and-a-half years now. Southern Ports Authority was established in 2014 by the merger of the ports of Bunbury, Albany and Esperance. Before this role I was interim CEO of Mid West Ports Authority in Geraldton.

What is the most interesting place you’ve worked in so far?

Undoubtedly, it was the Dampier Port Authority in the Pilbara, mainly because of the stark beauty of the Pilbara and its connection to a major economic driver of the country, with iron ore coming from Dampier and Port Hedland. I was CEO of Port of Dampier for 11 years. When I first went to the Pilbara, I’d never been north of Geraldton, so it was a real experience to go that far up the coast. There are a range of ships that go through there, from oil and gas tankers to pipe layers and rig tenders for the gas industry. It was an exciting place to work.

What is your favourite part of working in the ports sector?

I like the ports system and that we have an interest in everything. Ports are connected to the world; they’re connected to the state’s economy, the national economy and the community. We have an interest in the success of our towns and regions. There are so many elements to the job, from dealing with different proponents to going down to the wharf to look at shipping operations. There are also local indigenous communities in each region, and ports really feel that connection. I’m also a believer in intergenerational assets. Every day we look at how we can make sure we’re leaving something better for the next generation, whether it’s wharves, systems or community relationships for the people who come after us.

Have you learned any lessons during your time as a leader?

I’m now in my 25th year as a CEO and am currently the longest-serving port CEO in Australia. I’ve learned in that time that any organisation is only as good as its people and how those people are connected to each other. You can achieve anything with the right people, and the right people are the ones you’ve got. It’s about what opportunities you’ve provided them with. I appreciate that people are what make a job enjoyable, come up with ideas and interact with the community.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was very young, I thought I’d be a policeman. Back then, I feel I had high standards and high moral fibre, thanks to my mother’s upbringing. But when I reached college in years 11 and 12, I realised very quickly that whatever job I did would be an indoor job. I’d worked out in the college gardens for two years to help pay for my tuition, sometimes in inclement weather, and decided I wanted to work in an office as an accountant.

And I did – I became a junior clerk when I left college, and around three years into that I thought I should join the army, which I did. I was in the army for six years. When I left the army at 26 years old, I transitioned into public transport and worked there for 20 years.

You’re a book person – whose biographies have you found inspiring?

I’ve always been a fan of Winston Churchill. I read all his memoirs from the Second World War and his early life. I admire him as a leader and a statesman. I finished a book some months ago about Angela Merkel, the former chancellor of Germany. I read her biography because she was such an outstanding leader. Elton John’s biography Me was an excellent book, and a didn’t mind the last book by Richard Branson, where he reflected on his career rather than giving management advice. I also liked Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biography Total Recall – it had some good life lessons in it.

Do you think you’ll ever have a biography?

I think we all think there’s a book in us somewhere. When you’ve been doing a job for a long time, you always feel there are life lessons you could pass onto other people. I have announced to the workforce here that I’ll be retiring on 30 June next year. I’ll be finishing my full-time work in the industry, but I’m hoping for semiretirement so I can keep some interest in ports. Who knows? Maybe I’ll write a memoir after that.

What’s a piece of advice you’d put in this potential memoir?

There are lot of adages I’ve used over the years, like “always stay on the high ground”. Whether it’s a discussion or argument you go into, should always be on the high ground because you should always be doing the right thing. Any strategy book will tell you it’ll put you in a much stronger position.

This article appeared in the October 2022 edition of DCN Magazine.