Howard Ronaldson
Chair
Howard was appointed Chair of Ports Victoria on 1 July 2021.
He has had a lengthy career in general management, project governance and delivery, regulation management and the oversighting of large government programs.
He has held the positions of Secretary, Department of Infrastructure (VIC), Undersecretary (CEO) of Treasury (ACT) and in Victoria, Secretary of successive departments of economic development, Director of Housing and Director of Crown Lands.
Howard has participated on many boards as chair or as a member. He has been appointed as an administrator (or equivalent) on a number of occasions.
The first seven years of his working life were at Caterpillar Australia Ltd.
He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Monash University), a Graduate Diploma of Accounting and Finance (Caulfield Institute of Technology) and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (University of Melbourne).
Board committee membership
- Audit Committee
- Risk Committee
Elaine Carbines AM
Deputy Chair
Elaine was appointed Deputy Chair of Ports Victoria on 1 July 2021.
Formerly a state MP representing Geelong, Elaine most recently held the position of CEO of G21 Geelong Region Alliance from 2010 to 2020.
Elaine is an experienced non-executive Director bringing diverse skills to the Ports Victoria board including regional development, strategic planning, community engagement, education and communication.
She holds a number of Director positions including Deputy Chair, Barwon Water; Deputy Chair, GForce Employment and Recruitment; Director, AWA Alliance Bank; Director, Northern Futures; and Director, IMPACT Institute Advisory Board.
Elaine is an Ambassador for the Peace of Mind Foundation.
Board committee membership
- Chair, People, Culture and Remuneration Committee
- Risk Committee
Penny Alexander
Director
Penny was appointed as a Director of Ports Victoria on 1 October 2022.
She has broad experience and expertise in the delivery, operation and maintenance of critical assets in the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors in Australia and Asia.
Through her former role as a partner at an Australian law firm, Penny has advised on some of the Victorian Government’s highest profile and strategically important projects including the establishment of Ports Victoria.
In addition, Penny has worked with Mitsubishi Corporation in Tokyo, where her role involved advising in respect of Mitsubishi’s extensive portfolio of global resources and infrastructure projects.
Board Committee membership
- Risk Committee
Terry Garwood PSM
Director
Terry was appointed a Director of Ports Victoria on 1 October 2022.
He is the Deputy Secretary, Land Services and First Peoples Group in the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
Terry is a senior Aboriginal public servant in the Victorian Public Service and has been an officer of the Victorian and Australian Public Services for over 40 years.
He has held a number of executive positions, including Executive Director, Freight, Logistics and Marine Division where he was responsible for freight and logistics policy. He has also held executive positions responsible for health, aged care, disability services, child protection, public housing and Aboriginal Affairs.
Terry has served on executive boards of a variety of organisations including, the Aborigines Advancement League Inc, Camp Jungai Co-operative Ltd, Museum of Victoria, the Centenary of Federation Committee, the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA Victoria) and is a Fellow of IPAA.
Terry was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2018 for distinguished public service and was inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll in the same year.
Board Committee membership
- People, Culture and Remuneration Committee
Catherine Hopper
Director
Catherine was appointed a Director of Ports Victoria on 1 October 2022.
She is a skilled infrastructure professional, with experience across investment banking, funds management and Australian corporates.
Catherine brings a range of skills to the Ports Victoria board, particularly commercial and financial expertise focused on strategic planning and financial governance.
In her current role as the General Manager Commercial Optimisation at Transurban Ltd, Catherine leads the Commercial and Finance teams for Transurban’s Victorian region, which comprises CityLink and the West Gate Tunnel Project. She is responsible for strategic planning, finance, commercial contracts and the optimisation of asset operations.
She currently holds a number of Director positions in the not for profit sector, focused on education and social justice.
Catherine holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) / Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University. She is also a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Board Committee membership
- Chair, Audit Committee
Des Powell AM
Director
Des was appointed a Director of Ports Victoria on 1 July 2021.
He was a Director of Victorian Regional Channels Authority from 1 June 2016 until 30 June 2021.
Des brings extensive experience in executive management and board roles in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. In particular, he has specialist expertise in the ports and freight and logistics sector in both Australia and Asia.
He currently holds appointments as Director of Barwon Water Corporation, Member of the Advisory Board for Victorian Skills Authority, Director Mercy Ministry Companions and Director, Emerging Futures Collaborative.
Board Committee membership
- Chair, Risk Committee