By Brad Gardner | March 12, 2010The chairman of the Australian Logistics Council will retire from his post later this year to be replaced by the former chief executive of Pacific National.
After seven years in the job, Ivan Backman will make way for Don Telford at the ALC’s annual general meeting on May 27.
ALC CEO Michael Kilgariff says Backman has chosen to pursue other interests after dedicated stint with the transport and logistics lobby group.
“This has been an all-consuming passion for him,” Kilgariff says.
“He’s been in the role for seven years.”
In a letter to industry stakeholders, Backman called labelled his role a “fascinating journey” filled with highs and lows and giving back to the transport and logistics industry.
He says he could have retired earlier, but chose not to because of the need to find the right successor.
“Don is well respected in the industry and I totally endorse his appointment,” Backman writes.
Meanwhile, Kilgariff says the ALC’s recent annual forum—the first since the group’s move to Canberra last year—was a great success.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese praised the group’s approach to focusing on the whole issue rather than policy debates of one sector over another.
“It was really good. We were pretty happy with the turn-up,” Kilgariff says.
He says the support the ALC received reinforced the plan to move from Brisbane to be closer to the nation’s decision makers.
“The organisation has more support than ever,” he says.