New chairperson to lead Southern Ports Authority

  • Ian Shepherd appointed chairperson of Southern Ports Authority
  • Jane Cutler appointed to Southern Ports board
  • The McGowan Government has appointed Ian Shepherd as Chairperson of the Southern Ports Authority to help drive development in Bunbury, Albany and Esperance.

    Mr Shepherd is an engineer with 40 years of technical, management, governance and leadership experience in professional service. For the last eight years of his working life prior to retiring in 2016, he was the chief executive of major consultancy company GHD.

    In addition to his international work in this position, Mr Shepherd also oversaw considerable work in Western Australia in infrastructure and logistics.

    Former National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority chief executive officer Jane Cutler has also been appointed to the Southern Ports Authority Board.

    Ms Cutler has held senior regulatory and industry positions in the resources sector, including as Woodside Energy’s Natural Gas president.

    Both appointments commence on February 1, 2020.

    As stated by Ports Minister Alannah MacTiernan:

    “The ports of Bunbury, Albany and Esperance are absolutely critical to the ongoing economic success of regional WA. We need to develop a strong infrastructure plan for the region and its interface with other ports.

    “Ian Shepherd brings deep engineering, infrastructure and logistics experience to the role of Southern Ports chairperson, and will help to drive continued economic development and jobs across the regions.

    “We are deeply appreciative of Rob Cole’s leadership of the Southern Ports Authority as chairperson from 2016. He entrenched robust governance frameworks in the Authority as it transitioned from three businesses into one, and oversaw trade and financial performance that place the Authority in good stead.

    “Jane Cutler brings experience in the resources industry to the Southern Ports Authority Board and will be an important part of the ongoing success of the ports.”

    Minister’s office – 6552 6200

    /Public Release. View in full here.