Five new directors have been appointed to the Australian Airports Association (AAA) Board and one director has been re-appointed, in a move that will help bolster skills and expertise in the airport sector at a critical time.
The new appointees include; Gert-Jan de Graaff (Brisbane Airport), Lorie Argus (Melbourne Airport), Kym Meys (Adelaide Airport), Paul Watson (Hamilton Island Airport) and Matt Cocker (Hobart Airport). Nat Thomas (Halls Creek Aerodrome) has been re-elected.
AAA Chair, Tom Ganley, said, “These six appointees will bring a wealth of aviation knowledge and experience to our Board during the most difficult time our sector has faced since the Second World War.
“Gert-Jan de Graaff has been the CEO of Brisbane Airport for the past two-and-a-half years and has more than two decades of experience in leadership roles at major airports right around the world.
“Lorie Argus brings more than 25 years’ aviation experience and forms part of Melbourne Airport’s leadership team.
“Currently Chief of Landside Access, Utilities and Facilities Group, Lorie has helped deliver big infrastructure, long-term strategy and complex capital projects.
“Kym Meys has more than 15 years’ experience across Australian airports having held a wide range of senior airport planning, strategy and project delivery roles from a remote mining airport to major Australian gateways.
“Kym is currently the Executive General Manager of Planning and Infrastructure at Adelaide Airport.
“Paul Watson hails from a background in airline operations, financial management and emergency services and is currently Hamilton Island Airport’s General Manager of Civil Services and Operations.
“Matt Cocker has been engaged in the aviation industry for the past 15 years and is the Chief Operating Officer of Hobart Airport.
“Matt has held positions within the aviation industry right across Australia including at Adelaide Airport, Northern Territory Airport and Qantas.
“Nat Thomas has worked with Aerodrome Management Services for 20 years and has carried out a wide variety of roles on regional airports within Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland.
“These roles include aerodrome management, construction, line marking, lighting installation, design and inspection.
“I would also like to thank our six outgoing Directors including our immediate past Chair Guy Thompson, Paul Hodgen (formerly from Launceston Airport), Katie Cooper (formerly from Melbourne Airport), Stephen Carson (Canberra Airport), Howard Aspey (Whyalla Airport) and Norris Carter (North Queensland Airports) for their important contribution to the AAA over the past two years.
“Their time, efforts and advocacy is greatly appreciated and I wish them all the best on their future endeavours.”
