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.

Diploma Mechanical Engineering, RMIT
RNEC Application Course, UK
Submarine Training, UK
Graduate Diploma of Management
Master of Business Administration (Technology Management)
Member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia
Member of the Institute of Marine Engineers

Peter's maritime career spans 40 years with an extensive period in the Royal Australian Navy, chiefly as a specialist submariner and Marine Engineer officer achieving the rank of Captain. Peter’s shore based experience included the role of General Manager with P & O Maritime Services, a position that led to his becoming a founding Director of Defence Maritime Services, and later Managing Director.  He was also Chairman and a Director of Carpentaria Shipping Services.

Recently Peter has undertakem a variety of consulting projects through his own company, Hunter Connections, and Thompson Clarke.  These projects have drawn on his broad industry and technical experience ensuring the best outcome for a diverse client base.

Master Marine Class 1 STCW 95 Endorsed
Diploma Business Studies (Accounting), Swinburne University, Melbourne
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
Certificate in Risk Management (IRM London)

Roger has over 20 years’ experience in the area of towage operations with a broad background as Tugmaster on various classes of harbour and ocean-going salvage tugs. This includes operational salvage and emergency towage.

Roger has particular experience in managing new tug building projects, including trials and delivery, and in towage licensing submissions and marine risk assessment.

More recently as a Marine Consultant, Roger has provided advice on a range of towage related projects for both ports and towage operators.

United Kingdom Master Class 1 Foreign Going – No Restriction
Dangerous Cargo Endorsement
Diploma Commercial Shipping – Sydney College of Technical & Further Education (TAFE)
Approved Tutor for the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers for Tanker Chartering

Olav first went to sea with Great Eastern Shipping in 1983 and joined Wallem Ship management in 1988. He studied at the Blackpool and Fylde College UK where he obtained his Masters. Whilst at sea he served on tankers, bulk carriers and supply boats. In 1991 he served as the chief officer of the world’s largest tanker “Jahre Viking” and was involved in the vessel’s rebuilding at Singapore and drydocking at Dubai. He initiated quality control programs on a number of vessels while sailing as a deck officer. In 1995 he worked as a Marine Superintendent with Mercator Ship Management and was involved in vessel operations and crewing matters.

Since then he has been based in Sydney and undertakes surveys for various P & I Clubs, Ship owners and Charterers. Olav has carried out Port Captain work at Port Kembla & Newcastle, Geelong, Gladstone, Brisbane, and Melbourne for various owners and charterers in relation to oil and gas, steel, coal, wheat and container vessels. He also carries out Flag State inspection of vessels for safety and operational considerations.

Foreign Going Master Mariner – 1971
Graduate Diploma in Business (Port & Terminal Management) - 1994
Queen’s Birthday Honours – Public Service Medal - 2006   

David Baird retired from Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) in March 2008 and is now engaged, on an occasional basis, as a Marine Advisor, specialising in ship safety, marine emergency response, marine pollution response and search and rescue.

Prior to his retirement David Baird was an Executive Manager with AMSA, being appointed General Manager in 1997. David Baird had been appointed by the Minister as Acting Chief Executive Officer AMSA on seven occasions.

B.Sc Geology, 1974; Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
B.Sc (Hons) Geology, 1975; Victoria University of Wellington
M.Sc Geology, 1976; Victoria University of Wellington
Mathematics and Computer Science, 1977-80; University of Colorado at Denver, USA
Systems Analysis, Central Institute of Technology; Wellington, New Zealand, 1991

Russell gained an MSc in Geology at Victoria University of Wellington, in the course of which he spent two field seasons on geological mapping in South Victoria Land (McMurdo Sound), Antarctica and two cruises aboard the Research Vessel (RV) Tangaroa in the South Pacific.Thereafter Russell worked in the oil and gas exploration industry for 25 years. His early time in the industry was spent in the Rocky Mountains working on a seismic crew and, later, in a seismic data processing house in Denver.

Russell returned to NZ in early 1980 and after a brief time in the downstream oil industry, he took up a position at Petrocorp the then national oil company. When Petrocorp transformed itself into Fletcher Challenge Energy Taranaki in 1991, Russell founded Roxburgh Plume Ltd. In 1996 he was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the Petroleum Exploration Association of NZ but returned to consultancy work in 2000 to which he has been dedicated ever since.

Russell has been involved in a diverse range of projects including issues relating to the greenhouse effect, environmental auditing, systems development, energy issues, and research and investigations. He is a skilful communicator with a reasonable command of Te Reo Māori.

Postgraduate Certificate Business (Shipping) – Australian Maritime College

Angelo has extensive experience in all facets of the passenger cruising industry in the Australasian region, spanning over a period of 30 years. Between 1985 and 1996, he was employed in senior positions with CTC Lines Australia, from Operations Manager to General Manager Operations and finally CEO. During this period, Angelo was responsible for the operation of two 580 passenger vessels, cruising around the Australasian and European regions. He introduced cruise ship visits to a selection of ports such as Lombok, Pare Pare and Geraldton, into the cruise schedules.

From 1997, Angelo formed Cruise Reps and undertook project work for a number of companies in the cruising industry in both the European and Australasian regions. This has given him a proven track record in finding and developing efficient strategies and methods in all aspects of cruise shipping operations from on board delivery to pre & post cruise auxiliary services. Since 2004, he has been providing Port Operations Management for the luxury expedition vessel Orion.

Mechanical Engineer Certificate – Sydney Technical College
Management Certificate (year 1 & 2) – North Sydney Technical College
Member of the NSW Sea Freight Council (now FALCONSW)
Member of Logistics Association of Australia (LAA)
Member of NSW RTA’s Road Freight Advisory Counci

Tony Davidson is a highly experienced and well respected freight/intermodal industry professional with a powerful network of key stakeholders in business, government and unions. His vast experience spans the industry from a mechanical engineering apprentice to successful management positions with major freight industry stakeholders as well as to the speaker's platform at leading edge freight transport seminars, and as an industry expert and innovator as Chairman of a peak body working party leading industry reforms.

During the last three decades Tony has been involved in, or led a wide range of initiatives for his employers and the industry including leadership in the concept, planning, development and implementation of the largest rural Intermodal terminal in Australia at Blayney NSW. More recently Tony assisted a small Victorian logistics company purchase and then manage BHP’s Villawood Intermodal Terminal in Sydney.

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