Our Board
Gippsland Ports Board
Gippsland Ports is a statutory organisation. Gippsland Ports Board is appointed by the Minister for the Environment to provide strategic direction for the management and operations of Gippsland Ports, and plays an important role in the sustainable management and development of maritime operations and activities along Victoria’s east coast from Inverloch to Mallacoota.
Directors’ responsibilities include the management and administration of crown lands, two waterways and five local ports with varying imperatives, risks and opportunities, and covered by different pieces of legislation administered by several different government departments and Ministers.
Individuals on the Board act in the best interests of the public entity; with integrity; in a financially responsible manner; with care, diligence and skill; and in compliance with all relevant and applicable laws and regulations.
Board Member Profiles
Robin Buckham – Chair
Commenced August 2019.
Robin has had a significant career across the commercial and academic sectors and has also been CEO of Family Business Australia, an association dedicated to sustaining and growing family businesses.
Now a Director with appointments on several not for profit and State boards, Robin also has a varied consulting practice.
In her executive career, Robin has had various roles and memberships that include: Deakin University, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development); University of Wollongong, Director (Marketing, Recruitment & Partnerships); TAFE Illawarra Advisory Council, Regional Development Australia, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Executive General Manager; and Port Kembla Port Corporation, Director and President of the Business Chamber.
Early in her career Robin worked for 15 years with Australian steel manufacturer and distributor Tubemakers in a variety of roles around Australia and was Manager, Oil & Gas Pipelines, managing a $200 million steel pipe mill when she left.
Robin has a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education and Masters of Commerce (Marketing) and is a keen rower happily rising at 4:45am all year round to train for local regattas; she has also attended World Masters Regattas.
Chris Badger
Commenced August 2019.
Christopher has extensive board and senior executive experience in the Electricity, Gas, Telecoms, Water and Waste Industries in Australia and overseas and has held Senior Executive positions at Loy Yang Power, Alinta Asset Management, WestNet Energy Networks, Yallourn Energy and Morwell Briquette and Power.
Christopher is a Non Executive Director of Central Gippsland Water, the Gippsland Waste and Resource Recovery Group and is also a private management consultant, mentor and coach. He has also formerly held positions with South Gippsland Region Water Corporation, the Stormwater Industry Association of Australia, Australasian Corrosion Association, Murray Irrigation Ltd, and Bendigo Community Bank. He is an independent member of Wellington Council’s and South Gippsland Council’s Audit & Risk Committees.
Christopher has a Bachelor of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Degree, and is a Graduate and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He also has post graduate leadership and business training from Stanford University Business School (USA), Warwick University Business School (UK), and the London Business School (UK).
Joanne Butterworth-Gray
Commenced August 2017.
Joanne is a long-term Gippslander with over two decades of board level experience in Economic Development, Strategy and Policy Development, Legal/Justice, Health, Hospitality & Tourism, ICT, Biosecurity and Agribusiness industries.
In board roles Joanne has provided expertise in areas of strategy, governance, organizational change and stakeholder management. She has also held various executive and senior management roles most recently in the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Training and Resources.
Joanne has a Company Secretary qualification and has also completed the AICD Company Directors Course. She is currently studying Applied Finance at Macquarie University.
Ralph Kenyon
Commenced August 2019.
Ralph Kenyon was most recently the Executive Director of the Wimmera Development Association (2015-2019), the peak economic development group for the 5 Wimmera local governments. Previously he was a self-employed management consultant with experience across both private and public sectors. He also has significant experience at operational and senior executive levels and was appointed inaugural CEO for the Port of Hastings Corporation in 2004 and was interim CEO for the Port of Hastings Development Authority from 2011-2012.
Previously Ralph worked in local government in economic development, and with the Commonwealth government in employment, education and training. Ralph has a Masters of Business Administration from Monash University, is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, is a former Director with Victorian Regional Leadership Programs, former Chair of Finance Audit and Risk Committee of the Centre for Participation and was a community representative on the Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnerships.
Vivien Williamson
Commenced August 2019.
Vivien is a strategic land use and development planning consultant who has had over thirty years experience as a statutory planner, strategic planner and planning manager in State, regional (including the Gippsland Lakes) and local government contexts. She has expertise in strategic land use and development planning, environmental, cultural and recreational planning, as well as economic development and tourism.
Vivien holds a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Town and Regional Planning, Diploma of Librarianship and is a member of the Victorian Environmental and Planning Law Association.
Vivien also has extensive experience on a range of community boards and committees of management.
