New CEO for National Transport Commission

THE National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced the appointment of federal transport security chief Paul Retter as its incoming chief executive.

Mr Retter takes over from acting CEO and chief operating officer George Konstandakos, who took the helm when Nick Dimopoulos became ill.

As previously reported, Mr Dimopoulos died in February, aged 56.

In a statement, NTC chairman Greg Martin said Mr Retter, who officially starts on July 8, brings extensive knowledge of transport and logistics and “proven leadership capability” to the role.

He is currently executive director of the Office of Transport Security (OTS), which is the federal government’s national security regulator for the transport industry.

“Paul is joining the NTC at an exciting time in our history, as we continue to support the delivery of significant Council of Australian Governments reforms and look for ways to continue to improve safety, productivity and environmental performance across the transport sector,” said Mr Martin.

“Paul’s highly developed strategic planning, policy and regulatory skills and his capacity to build strong and enduring relationships with industry and government will ensure the NTC continues to deliver high quality reforms in collaboration with our partners.” Mr Retter has spent the past seven years at the OTS, which is part of the federal department of infrastructure and transport and works with industry, states and territories and government agencies here and abroad to prevent transport security incidents, including acts of terrorism.

The NTC says Mr Retter has steered the OTS “through its formative years and has been instrumental in shaping OTS to become an internationally recognised and highly regarded professional preventative security regulator”.

Mr Retter was previously a senior member of the Australian Defence Force, responsible for development and progressive land-based military capability requirements to government.