Gippsland Ports has appointed a new CEO to succeed the present CEO, Nick Murray, who will retire in September 2018 after ten years in the role.
Chris Waites, who is currently employed as Director Operations with East Gippsland Shire Council, will take up the role of CEO in mid September.
Gippsland Ports Chair, Geoff Hocking, said, “The Board is very pleased to have recruited a person of Chris’s calibre, experience, knowledge, technical competence, passion and strong connection to the region.
“Chris brings to Gippsland Ports extensive experience as an engineer and executive manager in both the private sector and local Government in Victoria and Queensland with a strong background in strategic asset management, civil construction, public infrastructure and service delivery including marine infrastructure and services.”
The Gippsland Ports CEO position attracted strong interest resulting in a large field of applicants from all over Australia.
“I am very pleased to have been selected by the Gippsland Ports Board and am excited by the opportunity,” Mr Waites said.
“I appreciate the significant challenges associated with giving effect to the Board’s vision to be the most effective port and waterway manager in Victoria in the eyes of our customers, community, regulators and portfolio department.
“I have a strong commitment to the local community. Both my wife and I were born and raised in East Gippsland, and after furthering our careers in Australia and overseas, returned to the area in 2005. The Gippsland Ports CEO position provides me the opportunity to continue my connection with the region with an organisation with diverse responsibilities and challenges.”
Gippsland Ports is the appointed manager of 1,400 square kilometres of local ports and waterways from Inverloch to Mallacoota, with 57 employees, managing assets comprising 800 navigation aids, 100 wharves and jetties, 900 berths and moorings, two commercial boatyards, four slipways and operates two dredgers, the cutter suction dredge “Kalimna” and the recently built Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge, “Tommy Norton”.
