Robert Barnes to head TasPorts

<p>Former Patrick and Pacific National executive Robert Barnes will take over from Bernie Smith as Tasmanian Ports Corp’s chief executive next month.</p> <p>TasPorts chairman Dan Norton said today (Wednesday, September 13) that Mr Barnes had extensive experience in many facets of the transport and logistics industry and had been involved at a senior management level in a number of major strategic and business improvement issues.</p> <p>&#8220The board saw the appointment of an appropriately qualified chief executive as critical to the next phase in the development of the company which was formed following the merger of the four port companies of Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport,&#8221 he said.</p> <p>&#8220Bob’s change management skills, leadership abilities and extensive industry experience will be crucial for the future development of the organisation.&#8221</p> <p>Mr Barnes, who started his port working life as a waterside worker, will join the company on October 16.</p> <p>He has held senior positions in the transport sector, including general manager, specialised logistics, Patrick Corp general manager, Pacific National Queensland business and operations improvement manager, Patrick Corp Sydney manager, Patrick Terminals state manager Queensland, Patrick General Stevedoring port manager Gladstone, P&#38O Ports (Conaust).</p> <p>Before this, Mr Barnes completed a postgraduate diploma in management and a master of management at Macquarie University.</p> <p>Dr Norton said the present chief executive, Bernie Smith, would officially retire on October 20.</p> <p>&#8220Bernie played a critical role in bringing together the former port companies, providing important leadership and demonstrating considerable initiative to achieve this often quite challenging task,&#8221 he said.</p> <p>Mr Smith, who began work with the port company on October 4, 2005, will retire to Metung, Victoria, where he and his wife, Joy, own a property .</p> <br />