Board of Directors

Meet our Board

The current Board members bring expertise in transport, tourism, energy, science, corporate sustainability, finance, risk management, and strong connections to business and community groups.

	David Marchant AM GAICD Chair Member, Audit and Risk Committee Member, People and Culture Committee Chair Nominations Committee David was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in March 2021. David is Chair, Queensland Rail and Queensland Rail Ltd and previously a Board Member of Airservices Australia. He has previously held a range of executive positions including Managing Director, Lend Lease Engineering and Infrastructure Services and Managing Director and CEO, Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd.
	Justine Jarvinen BE(Hons) University of Adelaide, GDip App Fin (SecInst), GAICD, FFin Director Member, People and Culture Committee Justine Jarvinen (JJ) was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in April 2022. JJ is an energy executive with international experience spanning the energy, finance, education and non-profit sectors over 28 years. JJ has a wealth of experience across the energy value chain, and has worked in technical, commercial, strategic, management, advisory and governance roles, for organisations such as Exxon, Shell, Caltex, JBWere and AGL Energy. JJ is Managing Principal, Sustainability, Climate Change and Risk for Aurecon, Principal/Director/Owner of Finncorn Consulting; and Director of UNSW Foundation Limited (philanthropic arm of UNSW). She was previously CEO of the UNSW Energy Institute, independent Chair of energy technology company Wattwatchers, and director of Climate-KIC Australia. She has previously been director of ASX-listed Milton Corporation. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) with First Class Honours, and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia.
	Dr Deborah Dearing Director Chair, People and culture Committee Dr Deborah Dearing was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in February 2023. Dr Dearing is widely recognised for her leadership in improving the design quality of cities and communities. She has over 30 years of international experience in urban design, strategic land-use planning, heritage conservation, affordable housing and property development in both public and private sectors. Dr Dearing has held senior executive roles with the NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, Architectus and Stockland, and board positions with the NSW Heritage Council, the Australian Institute of Architects, City West Housing, Livable Housing Australia and the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. She has received numerous prestigious awards, including Life Fellowship of the Australian Institute of Architects, Fellowship of the Planning Institute of Australia and the NAWIC Ryder Hunt Award for leadership in the Construction and Development Industry. She was previously Chair (Temporary) of Greater Cities Commission, President of the NSW Architects Registration Board, a member of the Victorian Design Review Panel and Sydney University's Henry Halloran Trust.
	Kristine Neill Director Member, Audit and Risk Committee Kristine Neill was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in September 2024. Kristine is a former Executive Director of Macquarie Group Limited, a company she served for 14 years. After leaving Macquarie, Kris ran her own consultancy business. Kris was Chief of Staff to the former NSW Premier, the Hon. Bob Carr and Corporate Affairs Director for News Limited. Kris has served as a director and Chair of Women’s Community Shelters, a director of the Melba Opera Trust, the FAUNA Research Alliance, and the Tourism and Transport Forum.
	Kay Salvair Smith Director Member, People and Culture Committee Kay Salvair Smith was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in April 2025. Kay has more than 35 years of experience in both Government and private, ASX and LSE listed sectors, with strong experience of large and complex transport, freight, property and transmission infrastructure, leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex commercial negotiations. In her previous executive capacity, Kay held the positions of Operations Manager and National Executive General Manager of Infrastructure Advisory consulting and is a former Partner of MinterEllison. Kay is Chair of the Risk Committee and a Non-Executive Board Advisor to an infrastructure consulting firm, Deputy Chair of Roads Australia’s Reduce, Reuse, Recover (Decarbonisation) Committee, Ambassador to Sustainable People Solutions (SPS) Leaders Alliance and Managing Director of Fusion Advisory. Previously Kay was a member of People and Culture, and Industry Capability committees and was a member of the Risk Mitigation Committee of the Transport for New South Wales, NorthWest Metro Assurance Advisory Board and board member of Zonta Hills District. Kay is a member of Chief Executive Women (CEW) connect, Women on Boards (WOB), and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). A graduate of Harvard University, Cybersecurity – Managing Risk in the information age, University of Canberra, Construction Management and Economics, and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
	Tom Laidlaw Director Chair, Audit and Risk Committee Tom Laidlaw was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in April 2025. Tom is an experienced non-executive director, CEO and business leader with global experience across a range of industries including infrastructure, energy and private equity. His executive career involved advising infrastructure clients across a range of sectors, including transportation and energy, as a Managing Director at Macquarie Group. Tom was also a long-standing CEO of one of Australia’s leading infrastructure funds management businesses. Tom has significant experience in the ports industry and has previously served on numerous boards including Flinders Ports and Kinetic.
	Wayne Stokes Director Member, Audit and Risk Committee Wayne Stokes was appointed as a Director of Port Authority of New South Wales in April 2025. Wayne is an experienced Board Member, Committee Chair and CFO Alumni with over twenty-five years of board-level and executive experience across the commercial, private and not for profit sectors. His board roles bring a wealth of industry knowledge in the Finance, Risk & Audit arena and includes the current roles as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk & Audit Committee for City West Housing (property developer and provider of affordable housing) and the Independent Member, Risk and Audit Committee for the Australian Dental Council. Previously, in an executive capacity Wayne held several CFO roles in multiple regions, including Costa Crociere / Carnival Cruise Corporation (Asia), Carnival Cruise Corporation (Australia), Toga Property Development and Hospitality Group (Europe) and Lend Lease Global IT Group (Australia / US). Wayne was the 2024 President of CPA Australia Divisional Council (NSW), is a FCPA and was recently appointed Chair of the CPA Australia CoE (Ethics & Professional Standards). Finally, Wayne holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from Swinburne University (Victoria), an Executive MBA (from the Australian Graduate School of Management) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.