Project Consultants

In addition to our team of maritime consultants, Thompson Clarke also provides the services of external consultants on a project basis.

Thompson Clarke provides project consultants within the following areas:

Bachelor of Commerce (Melbourne)
Extra Masters Certificate (Belfast)
Member, Company of Master Mariners
Member, Nautical Institute
Member, Chartered Institute of Transport

Richard is a founding principal of Thompson Clarke and started the company after 14 years seagoing experience in passenger and general cargo vessels and 14 years in container and bulk shipping management in the UK, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia.

Since forming the company he has been responsible for practical cargo handling assignments and has managed a wide variety of projects involving forest products, minerals, metals and bulk commodities for Australian and overseas ventures. Richard has also developed specialist knowledge of Bass Strait trades in passenger and cargo operations and has an enormous network of industry-related contacts.

A highly respected veteran of the Australian shipping scene, Richard brings a mass of historical knowledge, context and insight to any project he works on.

Bachelor of Engineering (Comms) - Qld Institute of Technology, 1987
Bachelor of Business (Mngt) - Qld University of Technology, 2001
Member, Chartered Institute of Transport
Member, Institution of Engineers Australia
Registered Professional Engineer, Queensland
Member, Telecommunications Society of Australia

Geoff has approximately 20 years of professional experience, 14 years of which have been spent in providing professional consulting services to a range of different client industries – primarily in relation to the planning, systems engineering, implementation management and operational support of advanced technology systems in the transport environment (commonly referred to as Intelligent Transport Systems) and associated mission critical command, control and operations centers in all transport modes (ie maritime, road, rail, and aviation).

In general, given his education and expertise, Geoff’s consulting experience has included a range of activities from technology systems engineering and project management through to strategic management, business planning, financial analysis, due diligence and other forms of management consulting. 

Prior to his involvement with Thompson Clarke Shipping, Geoff had been engaged by various different consulting companies over the duration of his consulting career – primarily as an expert in transport systems technology in all manner of communications, navigation and surveillance.  Of all the transport environments in which Geoff has worked, his most significant field of expertise has been in the maritime environment – particularly in relation to the strategic planning and implementation management of shore based maritime command and control facilities and related technologies.

Bachelor of Economics - Newcastle
Member, Australian Human Resources Institute
Member, Australian Institute of Management   

John is an expert in human resources and industrial relations. He has spent the past six years consulting and contracting in his own HR consultancy business. Prior to this, he has spent two years establishing a national HR function within the manufacturing industry, 12 years in IR and HR management within the maritime industry and seven years in employee relations within the transport, construction & manufacturing sectors.

He has extensive experience in the recruitment and selection of management personnel, both technical and non-technical. He has undertaken a number of reviews of organisational structures and has facilitated focus groups redevelopment of attraction and retention strategies.

John has also facilitated senior management workshops looking at corporate strategy and balanced scorecard objectives. He regularly reviews employment conditions, providing strategic HR and legislative advice and coaches management teams in the delivery of agreed outcomes.

Master Mariner Class 1
Qualified Loss Assesor

Vivek has 30 years of maritime industry experience afloat and ashore with international shipping enterprises in India, Asia, Germany, New Zealand and Australia.

He is a specialist in liner shipping and port operational and pricing issues and has considerable experience in intermodal container logistics and break bulk liner businesses.

After 16 years with the Swire group and Fletcher Challenge, Vivek established Varenco in 2007 providing both the public and private sectors with strategic, operational and commercial advice. Varenco and Thomson Clarke Shipping have recently concluded an agreement to work closely in the Australia-New Zealand region. Within Thompson Clarke he is accountable for building and supporting the firm's professional consulting practice in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands as well as providing exposure to the Asian markets.

Class 1 Master Mariners Certificate
Emerging Managers Program - Macquarie Graduate School
Financial Management – Macquarie Graduate School
Leadership Development Course – Mount Elisa Business School
Member, Company of Master Mariners

Chris has an extensive maritime background having combined a seagoing career, which included work as a master and a pilot, with shore based experience at a management level with prominent international shipping and stevedoring companies.

He spent 14 years at sea in, general cargo vessels, bulk carriers, container vessels, car carriers, ro-ros, offshore supply vessels, oil tankers and suction dredgers.

Chris spent 8 years in the stevedoring industry, five years in ship agency and two years in inland logistics. He has extensive experience as a marine surveyor.

Sydney: +61 2 9929 9468 Melbourne: +61 3 9646 3155 Email: exec@thompsonclarke.com.au