The Southern Ports Authority will have a new leader after Ports Minister Rita Saffioti announced the retirement of chief executive Steve Lewis.
The Southern Ports Authority will have a new leader after Ports Minister Rita Saffioti announced the retirement of chief executive Steve Lewis.
The newly appointed chief executive, Keith Wilks, has almost three decades' experience in the ports and maritime sectors.
He has been the chief operating offer at Southern Ports Authority since 2020 and has held senior roles at the Port of Newcastle.
Mr Wilks will step into the top job after Mr Lewis retires on May 1, after more than four years leading the company.
Mr Lewis dedicated majority of his career to leading port operations around Australia, including the Mid West Ports Authority, Dampier and North Queensland.
Ms Saffioti said she wanted to congratulate Mr Wilks on his appointment.
"Mr Wilks brings valuable operational experience in leading complex port operations and proven strategic and leadership skills to the role,” she said.
"Mr Wilks' considerable expertise positions him well to lead Southern Ports Authority during this period of sustained growth, which also includes a record $59 million asset renewal program that will build and create future opportunities for Western Australia.
"I would also like to thank Steve Lewis for leading Southern Ports Authority for the past four years, particularly his achievements in building the capacity and capability of our ports and the adoption of emerging technologies."
