Board of Directors

David Peever BEc, MSc (Mineral Economics) – Chairman

David was appointed as Director and Chairman of the Board on 5 May 2017.
David is a Non-Executive Director of the Australian Foundation Investment Company, Naval Group and a member of the Foreign Investment Review Board. He was previously Chairman of Cricket Australia and World Twenty20 2020 Ltd and a Director of the International Cricket Council. Until July 2017, he chaired the Minister of Defence's First Principles Review of Defence and following the acceptance of the review by Government the Oversight Board which helped guide implementation of the Review's recommendations. David was formerly a Director of the Business Council of Australia and Vice Chairman of the Minerals Council of Australia.
David retired as Managing Director of Rio Tinto Australia in October 2014 after 27 years with Rio Tinto. During his career with Rio Tinto, David worked across a range of disciplines including Strategy and Planning, Industrial Relations, Operations, Sales and Marketing, Business Improvement, Shipping and Policy. David worked in many parts of Australia and across most of Rio Tinto’s commodity suites. His Rio Tinto career also saw him live in Singapore, Los Angeles and London. He travelled extensively with Rio Tinto and has done business in most parts of the world.
David is a member of the Human Resources and Remuneration (‘HRR’) Committee.

 

Dick Benschop – Director 

Dick Benschop is President & CEO of Royal Schiphol Group (appointed 1 May 2018) and Non-Executive member of the board of directors of Groupe ADP (Aéroports de Paris) (appointed 20 May 2019).
Dick studied History at the VU University in Amsterdam, and worked in various functions in the Dutch Parliament and in the Dutch Labour Party. In 1994, Dick Benschop founded his own consultancy firm before returning to politics as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Dutch Government (1998 – 2002).
Dick joined Shell in 2003 and worked for Shell Energy Europe before moving to Kuala Lumpur in 2006 overseeing the Gas & Power business in Malaysia. In 2009, he took up the role of Vice President Strategy for the Royal Dutch Shell Group. From 2011 to 2016, he was President Director of Shell Netherlands. His most recent position was VP Non-Operated Ventures Shell International.
 

Deepa Bharadwaj MBA, PGDM, BA (Hons) Economics, GAICD - Director

Deepa is an Executive Director in the IFM Investors infrastructure team.
Deepa has senior level responsibility for managing IFM Investors' infrastructure operations, including fundraising, sourcing investment opportunities, transaction execution, asset management, and developing client relationships. Deepa has spent more than 25 years in investment banking with Standard Chartered Bank, Credit Suisse, Paribas and Bank of America. She has extensive global expertise in the infrastructure and energy sectors, having worked in Asia, the US, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Deepa’s 13 years at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore included senior leadership roles, most recently as Global Head for Power, Transportation and Infrastructure. In the course of her career, Deepa has successfully concluded several billion dollars in advisory and financing transactions including marquee deals in power, utilities, renewable energy, infrastructure and transportation. Deepa also has extensive experience in diversity and inclusion and is currently a member of the Steering Committee of the Women’s Infrastructure Network in Australia. Deepa has represented IFM Investors as an Alternate Director on the Board of Australia Pacific Airports Corporation.
Deepa holds a Masters of Business Administration from New York University; Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta); BA (Economics) (Honours) (St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi); and is a Graduate of the Institute of Company Directors.
Deepa is a member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management (‘FARM’) Committee.

 

Paul DeSouza BCom, BBus(Acc)(Hons), CA – Director

Paul is a Partner in the QIC Global Infrastructure team having been with QIC since 2006. Within QIC Global Infrastructure, Paul is a member of the Investment Committee and the Asset and Investment Management Committee.  
Paul has more than 25 years of experience in investment management, banking and finance and professional services, including more than 16 years in the infrastructure sector where he has been involved in a broad range of transactions in Australia, Europe, Asia and North America across the transport, energy and utility and social infrastructure sectors.
Prior to joining QIC, Paul was a Director in the Infrastructure Advisory and Lending team at ING Bank in London and also worked in the Corporate Finance and Audit divisions of Deloitte, both in London and Australia.
Paul is on the board of the EPIC Energy South Australia Group of companies (where he is also the chair of the audit and risk committee). Paul previously served for more than six years on the board of the Port of Brisbane Group of entities (including being the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee).  Paul has also been a director (or alternate director) of MI Longbeach LLC (the project vehicle for the Long Beach Courthouse PPP project), Portobar Capital (investment entity for Grup Maritim TCB, a container terminal developer and operator) and the Westlink M7 toll road group of entities in Sydney.
Paul is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Queensland and a Bachelor of Business Accountancy (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology.
Paul is Chairman of the FARM Committee.
 

 

Chris Freeman AM, BCom, FAICD, FFin, FDIA - Director

Chris was born and educated in Queensland and has significant company directorship experience in Australia and abroad in the property and finance sectors. He is Chair of Queensland Symphony Orchestra, a Director of Sunland Group Ltd and Member Brisbane City Council Urban Futures Board, and is a past Chair of Watpac, Tennis Australia and the Queensland Performing Arts Trust.
Prior to joining Watpac, Chris held the position of Executive Chairman, Development for Queensland, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates at Mirvac. Previously, Chris was the Chief Executive Officer for Mirvac Queensland from 1998 to 2008. 
Chris’ former roles include Executive Director, Sunland Group and prior to that, Head of Business Banking at QIDC.  Chris is a past President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia and remains a life member. He has a strong interest in the arts and sport. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Queensland and has completed advanced management programs at the University of Hawai‘i, INSEAD in France and Mt Eliza Staff College. In June 2009, Chris was awarded a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contribution to the property development industry, the arts and other cultural affairs.
Chris is Chairman of the Property Committee and a member of the HRR Committee.

 

Brad Geatches BCOMM, MAICD – Director

Brad has over 30 years of senior executive experience in underground mining, airports and seaports, including 16 years as CEO of four corporations.
From 2007 to 2016 Brad was CEO of Perth Airport Pty Ltd and in that capacity led a $1.1bn capital investment program that greatly expanded the airport's capacity and transformed the airport's customer experience. Prior to this, Brad was CEO of Cairns Port Authority, the operator of the Cairns airport and seaport. Through these capacities Brad has developed expertise in governance, financial and risk management, land use and infrastructure planning, capital development and life cycle asset management of complex facilities with high levels of public engagement.  Brad is currently CEO of MATES in Construction, a charity providing mental health and suicide prevention services to workers in the construction and mining industries. He is also Chair of Pilbara Ports Authority and a Director of Perth Zoo Authority.

 

Belinda Gibson BEc, LLB, LLM, FAICD, FGIA - Director

Belinda is a non-executive director of Citigroup Australian retail bank, Ausgrid (representing the NSW State interests in the Ausgrid partnership) and Thorn Group Ltd. 
She was a corporate and securities partner with the global law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques for 20 years. She particularly focused on transaction strategies, partnerships and joint venture arrangements and governance issues. In 2007, she was appointed Commissioner and then Deputy Chairman of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (‘ASIC’), with primary responsibility for oversight of the capital markets. In 2013, she left ASIC and established her independent corporate advisory and legal business.
She is a past director of AirServices Australia, the air traffic control agency, GetSwift Limited, Chief Executive Women Inc and The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation. 
She has a Bachelor of Economics and of Laws from the University of Sydney and a Master of Law from The University of Cambridge. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia. Belinda is a member of the HRR Committee.

 

Chris McArthur BE, MBA, FAICD – Director

Chris is the Head of Asset Management, Australia and Partner, Infrastructure Investments, with Colonial First State Global Asset Management. He is responsible for the origination, execution and asset management of unlisted infrastructure investments globally, with a focus on transportation. In prior roles, Chris was head of the commercial division of Pacific National, the former Toll/Patrick joint venture and Australia’s largest private rail group. He held senior management positions with Qantas in Sydney and London, including as head of the QantasLink regional airline group. Chris is a current Director of Adelaide Airport and former Director of Perth Airport, and was inaugural Chairman of Airports Coordination Australia Ltd. Chris has a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Melbourne where he also holds an MBA from the Melbourne Business School. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In addition to being a Director of the BAC Group, Chris is also an Alternate Director for John Ward. Chris is Chairman of the HRR Committee and a member of the FARM Committee.

 

 

Jabine van de Meijs ACMA – Director

Jabine van der Meijs is the CFO & Executive Vice President of the Royal Schiphol Group since April 2017. Before this role she worked for Shell for 25 years in HR, Strategy and mainly financial positions in The Netherlands, The UK, Brunei and Australia. In her most recent position in Shell she was the VP Finance Projects in the Projects and Technology business of Shell. Other roles she had include Financial Controller / Acting Finance Director for the Brunei Shell Companies and Finance Director for Shell Australia. Jabine is a non-executive member of the board of Aéroports de Paris. She is a member of the Supervisory Board of Kendrion N.V. and she serves as Chair of the Audit Committee of Kendrion N.V.  Jabine is a qualified pharmacist from the University of Utrecht and she completed her professional accounting degree in the UK. 
 

 

John Ward BSc, FIML, FAICD, FCILT, FRAeS – Director

John is a professional company director and corporate advisor. He was interim Chairman of the Board from 30 January 2009 to 25 September 2009, and is a member of the FARM Committee, previously holding the position of Committee Chairman for 13 years.
John retired as the General Manager Commercial of News Limited in May 2001. Prior to joining News Corporation in mid-1994, he was Managing Director and Chief Executive of Qantas Airways Limited. This culminated a 25-year career with the airline in a variety of corporate and line management roles covering Australia, Asia, Europe and North America.  John is an Honorary Life Governor of the Research Foundation of Information Technology and a Director of Adelaide Airport Limited, Ward Advisory Services and Ward Securities Pty Limited. He was the Chairman of Wolseley Private Equity for 10 years until July 2014 and Chairman of the NSW Freight Advisory Council from June 2010 until its dissolution in January 2012.

 

Joshua Crane MAppFin, BCom, LLB(Hons), GAICD – Alternate Director for Deepa Bharadwaj

Josh is an Investment Director in the IFM Investors infrastructure team.
Josh is responsible for the origination, analysis, structure and execution of infrastructure investments, along with the ongoing management of IFM’s existing infrastructure investments, with a particular focus on airports and regulated utilities. Josh previously worked at Major Projects Victoria and, prior to that, Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was involved in the procurement, delivery, acquisition and financing of domestic and international infrastructure assets. Josh has represented IFM Investors as a Director on the Board of Wyuna Water.
Josh holds a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, Bachelors of Commerce and Laws (Honours) from Monash University, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

 

Tony Harrington AM, FCA – Alternate Director for Dick Benschop

Tony has a distinguished career in financial and professional services, with over 35 years of business and strategic leadership experience, in Australia and internationally. 
Most recently, Tony was the Chief Executive of leading Legal and Consulting firm MinterEllison. Prior to this, he was Managing Director of the fast-growing and innovative global investment bank, Moelis & Company. He also held a number of senior roles at PwC including Global Managing Partner, Strategy & Transformation at PwC and was a member of the PwC Global Executive Leadership Team. From 2000 to 2008, Tony was Australian Senior Partner and Chief Executive of PwC, coming into the position not long after the merger of Price Waterhouse with Coopers & Lybrand, and oversaw the successful cultural integration and significant growth of the merged firm in Australia. At Coopers & Lybrand, Tony was Deputy Chairman of the Firm and National Managing Partner of Taxation Services. 
Tony holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales. He is a Fellow and Chairman of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a Senior Fellow of FINSIA. 
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011 in recognition of his charitable work. Tony holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a Senior Fellow of FINSIA.  He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011 in recognition of his charitable work.

 

Liam Tierney BCom, BSc, CFA – Alternate Director for Brad Geatches

Liam is an Investment Director at Whitehelm Capital and has been responsible for the management of infrastructure assets across both Australia and Asia since 2006. In this capacity, he currently serves as a Director on the boards of Miaoli Wind Company, Tacna Solar, Panamericana Solar and Whitehelm MBK Fund Management. He is also an Alternate Director on the boards of Flinders Ports, International Parking Group, Rowville Transmission Facility and the Challenger Emerging Market Infrastructure Fund.
Liam also has experience in assessing transactions, investments and divestments across a wide range of infrastructure and other sectors across Australia, Asia and Europe. He spent two years overseeing the European portfolio and investing activities while based in Whitehelm Capital’s London office.
Liam holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) from the University of New South Wales. He also holds the CFA designation.
 

 

Gerhard Vorster BSc (Civil Engineering), MBA (Cum Laude),  MAICD - Alternate Director for Jabine van der Meijs

Gerhard is the Managing Director of Quidni Advisory, a boutique strategy advisory firm. Working directly with boards and senior leaders, Gerhard guides businesses to reposition them in pragmatic yet unexpected ways.
Previously Gerhard was the Chief Strategy Officer for Deloitte Australia and Asia-Pacific - a position he held for five years. He was a key strategist and executive in designing and implementing the Deloitte Australia growth story since 2003.
Prior to that Gerhard was the Managing Partner (Consulting) for the South African, East Asian, Australian and Asia-Pacific practice regions. He has broad sector experience in the areas of: professional services; banking and securities; automotive; innovation; mining; oil and gas; telecommunications and media.
Gerhard trained and practiced as a professional engineer and spent some time at an investment bank prior to joining Deloitte in 1987. In addition to his MBA he also completed several executive education programs at Harvard, Stanford, Kellogg, INSEAD, IESE and IMD. Gerhard is the Chairman of the Advisory Board of Bio Capital Impact Fund, a member of the Advisory Board of Intersective and the Patron of Good Design Australia. He was a Director of Georgiou Group and also the inaugural Chairman of the RMIT University College of Business industry Advisory Board.

 

Kirsten Whitehead BCom, LLB (Hons), GDLP - Alternate Director for Paul DeSouza and Belinda Gibson

Kirsten joined QIC in early 2010 and has overall responsibility for portfolio management across QIC Global Infrastructure’s separately managed accounts, large co-investors and pooled products. Her role is focused on infrastructure investment management with a focus on investment analysis, asset management, governance and structuring, together with portfolio construction and analytics, research and thought leadership, and managing the overall client relationships. 
Since joining QIC, Kirsten has had a broad exposure to a variety of sub-sectors from both an investment origination and asset management perspective. This has included being an integral part of the teams that successfully acquired Epic Energy South Australia, Heathrow Toggle and implementing the strategy for the US public private partnership investments. She has also held asset management roles in the transport and utilities sectors, in particular with respect to Brisbane Airport, Port of Brisbane and Thames Water. Kirsten has also worked closely with a number of the separately managed account clients on investment management matters and mandate negotiations. 
Prior to working with QIC, Kirsten was employed by the Virgin Group in London for two years where she evaluated and managed a portfolio of investments in various sectors including renewable energy, telecommunications, healthcare and aviation. Previously, Kirsten was employed as a corporate solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons where she had experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint venture arrangements, corporate restructurings and acting for investors in infrastructure and resource projects.  Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Queensland and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law, New South Wales. She is currently an alternate director for Brisbane Airport Corporation.

 

Alan Wu MCom, CFA, GAICD – Alternate Director for Chris McArthur

Alan is Director, Infrastructure Investment for Colonial First State Global Asset Management (‘CFSGAM’). He is responsible for the management of transport and utilities infrastructure assets, as well as sourcing, evaluating and securing investment opportunities within the Infrastructure team. He currently serves as a Director on the boards of International Parking Group, and Water Utilities Australia, and as an Alternate Director of First Gas and Adelaide Airport. He has previously served as a Director of Bankstown and Camden Airports and an Alternate Director of Perth Airport.  Alan has been involved in the investment, management and divestment of infrastructure assets, as well as portfolio management since 2000. Prior to being appointed Director, Alan held various roles within the team including Head of the Analytics team. Alan was also actively involved in the establishment and growth of CFSGAM’s flagship infrastructure funds in Australia.  Alan holds a Master of Commerce (Funds Management) from the University of New South Wales, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from the same university. He is a CFA charter holder and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.