Ports Victoria CEO, Brendan Webb, has announced his resignation and that he will be joining North Queensland Bulk Port as its new boss.
Mr Webb was the inaugural CEO of Ports Victoria and led the body through its formation.
He commented that: “I have appreciated the opportunity and enjoyed leading Ports Victoria through its initial development. “I want to thank the Ports Victoria staff, the Board of Directors and the Minister for Ports and Freight for their support during my time as CEO.”
Mr Webb was appointed as the CEO in late November 2021, and he oversaw the new body, which had been born out the former Victorian Ports Corporation and the Victorian Regional Channels Authority. The establishment of Ports Victoria was a key finding from the Independent Review of the Victorian Ports System.
Arrangements will be made for an interim Chief Executive Officer for Ports Victoria while recruitment gets underway.
He leaves Ports Victoria in September before taking up his new role as Chief Executive Officer of North Queensland Bulk Ports in early October.
It’s a return to familiar territory for Mr Webb, who was recruited by Ports Victoria from NQBP, where he had held the post of General Manager of Trade and Operations.
NQBP chair Jane McTaggart said the port’s board welcomes Mr Webb back to NQBP and back to Queensland. She pointed out that as well as having a deep understanding of NQBP and ports, Mr Webb has extensive commercial experience, having held senior leadership roles in heavy haulage and mining support sectors. “He has experience in commercial sales, trade development, and 24/7 operations including safety and emergency management,” Ms McTaggart said.
“Brendan has a strong commitment to Mackay and north Queensland, having previously worked in the Mackay region for 11 years.”
Ms McTaggart thanked Acting CEO Belinda Kenny for her outstanding leadership during the recruitment period. Ms Kenny will continue to act as CEO until 2 October, before returning to her role as Chief Financial Officer.
Mr Webb said, “As a former General Manager with NQBP for almost five years, I hold a deep connection with the organisation. I look forward to leading a positive team culture, and fostering a unified organisation which is resilient and capable of navigating challenges that may arise.”
Mr Webb will be based in NQBP’s Mackay head office.
