Roads Australia People

Roads Australia Board

 

The current members of the Roads Australia Board are:

  • President - David Stuart-Watt, Regional Director NSW, Parsons Brinckerhoff
  • Vice President - Tim Boyle, Chief Operating Officer, Sinclair Knight Merz
  • Vice President - Ken Mathers, Chief Executive Officer, Linking Melbourne Authority
  • Immediate Past President -  Ray Fisher, former Chief Executive of Emoleum
  • Doug Jones, Head of Infrastructure Group, Clayton Utz
  • Gary Liddle, Chief Executive, VicRoads & Chairman of Austroads 
  • Philip Lovel, Executive Director, Victorian Transport Association 
  • John Pitt, Managing Director, pitt&sherry
  • David Saxelby, fomerly Managing Director, Thiess
  • Brett Smythe, Roads Division Manager NSW/ACT, Leighton Contractors
  • Alan Tesch, formerly National Transport Reform Coordinator, National Transport Commission
  • Peter Walton, General Manager, Major Projects, Abigroup Contractors

Profiles

President - DAVID STUART-WATT

David Stuart WattDavid is Regional Director NSW with Parsons Brinckerhoff. Prior to joining PB David was Director of Licensing, Registration and Freight with the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, as well as a Director of ARRB Group, Transport Certification Australia and the former Tow Truck Authority of NSW.

David has held senior executive roles for the past 14 years and has over 30 years experience in infrastructure, regulation, traffic and transport.

He holds bachelor and master degrees in Engineering, a Master of Business Administration, FIEA and MAICD.

 

Vice President - TIM Boyle

Tim BoyleTim is global Chief Operating Officer at Sinclair Knight Merz. Prior to his appointment as global COO in July 2007, Tim was SKM's General Manager, Infrastructure. He remains an Executive Director of Sinclair Knight Merz Management Pty Ltd and member of the Audit Committee.

Tim is a civil engineer with over 30 years experience. During his career he has been involved in projects across a broad range of SKM's businesses, including mining, industrial, water, environmental, building and urban infrastructure projects. He has also played a significant role negotiating major Alliance and Design and Construct contracts and has successfully integrated new businesses into the Sinclair Knight Merz group.

 

VICE PRESIDENT - KEN MATHERS

Ken MathersKen has been the Chief Executive Officer of Linking Melbourne Authority since its inception in mid 2003.

His background includes project management roles during an extensive career with VicRoads, including Melton Bypass, sections of the Hume Freeway and the Western Ring Road. He was Director Engineering at Melbourne City Link Authority from 1995 until completion of CityLink in 2000, and then worked as a private consultant.

Ken is a past chairman of the Victorian Division of Engineers Australia and served on the National Council. He is a qualified Company Director and is a Board member of City North Infrastructure, Roads Australia and the Regional Rail Link Authority.

 

IMMEDiATE PAST President - Ray Fisher

Ray FisherRay is currently Chairman of JFTA Pty Ltd, a leading provider of specialised design, construction, management, maintenance and divestment of petrochemical storage and handling facilities, together with environmental services to the petrochemical, defence and mining industries.  He is also a Chair with Executive Connection, providing coaching and mentoring to CEO's in a variety of industries.

Over a 25-year career, Ray managed a number of large and medium size companies in both Australia and overseas, serving in both Chief Executive and Director roles. Until December 2003 he was CEO of Emoleum, a joint venture between Rinker (previously CSR) and ExxonMobil.

Ray has an MBA (Deakin University) and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Sydney University), and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Member of the Institute of Engineers.

 

BOARD MEMBER - DOUG JONEs

Doug JonesDoug is an international infrastructure and dispute resolution lawyer. He is a Sydney-based partner in the Australian law firm of Clayton Utz where he heads the International Arbitration and Major Projects groups of the firm. 

Doug has led transactional teams on behalf of government for a number of complex PPP transactions of an aggregate value in excess of $35bn, including (for Victoria) Melbourne CityLink and EastLink, (for NSW) Cross City Tunnel, M7 and Lane Cove Tunnel, (for Queensland and the Brisbane City Council) CleM7, Airport Link and Northern Link.

Doug is is represented on a number of prestigious local and international professional bodies and associations, and is Professorial Fellow in the Law School of Melbourne University and Adjunct Professor in the Law Schools of Notre Dame University Australia and Murdoch University. In January 1999 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his services to construction law and dispute resolution.

 

BOARD MEMBER - GARY LIDDLE

Gary LiddleGary was appointed as the Chief Executive of VicRoads in March 2007. 

Gary joined the Country Roads Board (the predecessor of VicRoads) as a graduate civil engineer in 1971. Prior to his current role, he held various positions in VicRoads including Deputy Chief Executive, Director Major Projects, General Manager Road System Management and Project Manager for the Eastern Freeway and the Ballarat Bypass. He also worked with the United Kingdom Highways Agency for a short period in late 1999. 

Gary is a Board member and Chair of Austroads, the Australasian organisation of road authorities. He is Chairman of the Australian Chapter of the Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia (REAAA) and a member of the REAAA Governing Council, and sits on the boards of both the ARRB Group and Linking Melbourne Authority. 

Gary has a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and a Graduate Diploma in Management.

 

board member - philIP loveL

Phil LovelPhil is the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Transport Association, representing over 800 freight and logistics companies in all sectors of the industry.

Phil has represented the freight and logistics industry for over twenty years and holds many senior positions on industry and government bodies. He is passionate about the need to provide new infrastructure for the freight industry to meet growth over the next twenty years.

In 2007 Phil was awarded Membership in the General Division of the Order of Australia in recognition of his work in the transport industry.

 

Board Member - John PITT

John PittJohn is the Managing Director of pitt&sherry, a leading Australian professional services company. He is responsible for the company's operations in land transport, industrial and community infrastructure sectors, and on the mitigation and adaptation challenges associated with climate change. 

John has over 30 years of consulting experience on infrastructure projects of all types - but particularly those which involve transport infrastructure - including 10 years involvement with international work in Africa, UK and SE Asia.

John's current role is centred on business building, leadership, strategic planning and the incubation of a competitive sustainable company culture within pitt&sherry.  John sees pitt&sherry as having responsibility and the opportunity to improve community social and environmental outcomes through its work and performance as an economic entity.  

 

BOARD MEMBER - DAVID SAXELBY

David SaxelbyDavid is a former Managing Director of Thiess and has more than 30 years of senior management and project experience in the fields of civil infrastructure, building and mining. At Thiess David was responsible for leading and developing one of Australasia’s largest integrated engineering, mining and services contracting organisations, with approximately $13 billion of work in hand, over 16,000 employees, and diverse operations in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, India and UAE.

David continues to serve the industry through his membership on the boards of the Minerals Council of Australia, the Australian Constructors Association, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, and Roads Australia. 

 

Board Member - Brett Smythe

Brett SmytheBrett is the Roads Division Manager with Leighton Contractors in NSW and the ACT, with the accountability for the road infrastructure operations of the business.  Key projects for the Roads Division currently include the Southern Hume Duplication Project (Northern Hume Alliance), the Ballina Bypass Alliance and the M2 Upgrade Alliance.

With a construction career spanning more than 17 years, Brett has amassed a wealth of experience across a wide range of civil infrastructure projects in Australia and South East Asia. Prior to his appointment as Roads Division Manager in October 2007, Brett spent 10 years with Leighton International Ltd, working in both senior management and project roles. 

Brett holds an Honours degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Newcastle (Australia).

 

Board Member - Alan Tesch

Alan TeschAlan is a former Director-General of Queensland Main Roads, and until recently held the position of National Transport Reform Coordinator with the National Transport Commission.

Alan has over 20 years experience in senior positions across the Queensland public sector, with the principal focus being on policy development, implementation and service delivery. Prior to joining Main Roads he was Deputy Director-General in Queensland Transport, and before that Assistant Under Treasurer in Queensland Treasury, responsible for overseeing and delivering economic policy for the State Government.

Alan holds an Economics Honours Degree from the University of Queenlsand and maintains membership of a number of professional associations, including the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Finance and Treasury Association, the Australian Institute of Management, Engineers Australia, CEDA and the Economic Society of Australia and New Zealand.

 

Board member - peter walton

Peter WaltonPeter is General Manager, Major Projects & Technical Services Group with Abigroup Contractors. Peter has worked for Abigroup since 1982 in the procurement and delivery of many types of civil and building construction projects.

Most recently, Peter was the Engineering and Controls Manager on the Westlink M7 Motorway in Sydney and previously Project Director and Project Manager on Warragamba Dam upgrading, two Olympic Infrastructure projects, several RTA NSW freeway projects, four other large dams and open cut mining operations.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil).  

 

Policy Chapters

NETWORK RELIABILITY CHAPTER

CHAIR - Alan Tesch, Former National Transport Reform Coordinator, National Transport Commission

DEPUTY CHAIR - Phil Davies, Industry Director, Transport Planning and Advisory, AECOM 

 

CAPACITY CHAPTER

CHAIR - Peter Walton, General Manager, Major Projects, Abigroup Contractors

DEPUTY CHAIR - Richard Boggon, Director - Commercial Services, Roads and Maritime Services NSW

 

funding and finance CHAPTER

CHAIR - Tim Boyle, Chief Operating Officer, Sinclair Knight Merz

DEPUTY CHAIR -  John Gardiner

 

sustainability CHAPTER

CHAIR - John Pitt, Managing Director, pitt&sherry

DEPUTY CHAIR - Jay Stricker, Technical Director, Environment, Water and Civil Infrastructure Group, AECOM

 

 

Roads Australia Secretariat

Chief Executive - Ian Webb

Ian WebbIan has an extensive background in the management of strategic issues at peak industry level. He has also worked in industries with a strong emphasis on road transport.

After gaining political and negotiating experience through 15 years as a career diplomat, Ian served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Premier of NSW. His subsequent appointments included Chairman of the NSW Egg Corporation and Chief Executive of both the Sydney and the Melbourne Wholesale Markets (1991 - 1999). Most recently, Ian has been Executive Director of the United Dairy Farmers Association of Victoria. He has also headed a number of industry inquiries.

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Events Director - Rachael Rooney

Rachael RooneyRachael has 15 years of HR and marketing experience across a number of industries.  Rachael has worked for National Rail, CRA, Minenco (CRA/Rio Tinto), AAPA and more recently CSR Emoleum/Emoleum as their Marketing Manager until 2004 and as a Consultant.  Rachael joined Roads Australia to assist with event management, website management and member services.

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Policy Director - Donna Findlay

 Donna has worked in the Victorian Public Service for over a decade in areas such as education, employment, youth affairs and infrastructure.  Most recently she worked as a Senior Roads Adviser in the Victorian Government.  Donna has worked on some of the largest infrastructure projects in Australia and brings a wealth of experience and high-level contacts to her role with Roads Australia.  She holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing).

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communications Director - Mark Bowmer

Mark BowmerMark has worked as a journalist and corporate communications practitioner for over 30 years. His journalistic career started on Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper and has included stints in both metro and regional media. As a PR professional he has worked with some of Australia's leading public and private sector organisations, particularly in the building and construction sectors.

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 PROGRAM DIRECTOR - LAUREN STREIFER

Lauren was most recently a Project Manager at the Australian APEC Centre – managing public and private sector programs across a variety of sectors for 21 Asia-Pacific economies. Previously she worked with the Australian Consulate-General in New York and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development in New Orleans. She holds a Masters of Diplomacy and Trade from Monash University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tulane University in New Orleans.

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Program Manager - sarah hendy

Sarah Hendy

Sarah manages Roads Australia's head office and the front of house at most of our large events.  Sarah is an experienced office and association administrator.  Her previous experience includes office management within a Minister's office and as Board Secretary for the Royal Australian Chemical Association.  Sarah has been working with Roads Australia for six years and can assist with all general enquiries.

 

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