Public Transport Authority

Reece Waldock

Chief Executive Officer

Appointed as the head of the State Government’s three transport portfolio agencies in May 2010, Reece holds a unique leadership position within the WA public sector, as Director General of the Department of Transport (DoT), Commissioner of Main Roads WA and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Transport Authority.

In this capacity, he is responsible for setting the strategic direction of transport in the State, shaping the development of a number of major integrated transport plans and leading the implementation of some of WA’s most transformational capital projects.

With more than 35 years’ experience in strategic management with particular expertise in organisational reform, his appointment as DG of Transport culminated a 20-year journey within various State Government transport agencies, with 14 years as a CEO. Before his public sector career, he held a number of senior management roles with BHP.

Reece is also a commissioner of the Western Australian Planning Commission, a board member of Lifeline WA, and a director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre.

Mark Burgess

Managing Director

Mark has gained extensive logistics, transport and people management skills through 21 years in the army and 17 years in senior public transport management roles.

He joined the PTA at its formation, after six years with Transperth when it was within DoT and the Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI).

As Managing Director, Mark is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the PTA. Before moving to this position four years ago, he was Executive Director of the Transperth system – Perth’s integrated bus, train and ferry system – for 12 years.

Pat Italiano

General Manager
Transperth Train Operations

In a 41-year career in public transport, Pat has acquired considerable expertise in business and strategic management, risk management, contract negotiations and audit. Since 1995 he has been a leading player in running the Transperth urban passenger rail network, and became GM of TTO in 2004.

Pat has direct line responsibility for all customer service personnel, train controllers, train drivers, service planners, depot staff, rollingstock procurement and maintenance (diesel and electric), and security personnel. He is responsible for promoting and managing the delivery of urban passenger rail to the highest customer service standards and is committed to ensuring the successful integration and delivery of expansions to the network.

Professionally, Pat is a qualified accountant, with a Bachelor of Business majoring in accounting and economics, a post-graduate diploma in accounting and is a member of CPA Australia.

Richard Wales

General Manager
Network and Infrastructure

Richard joined the PTA in March 2014 from the British rail industry where he was the head of engineering for enhancement projects for the UK Rail Infrastructure Manager. He is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and has worked in the rail industry for 23 years.

Richard previously held roles in the private sector as general manager responsible for maintenance, and as a business development manager for an engineering consultancy operating globally, delivering projects and growing the business.

Richard’s responsibilities include the asset management of the railway infrastructure and the provision of IT services to support the PTA’s operations.

Tim Woolerson

General Manager
Transwa

Twenty-one years in the military has provided Tim with extensive logistics and management skills along with an Associate Diploma in Engineering Maintenance. Tim joined the PTA nine years ago as Transperth Fleet Manager after six years in the private sector working in the vehicle fleet management field.

In his current role he is responsible for the delivery of customer-focussed, safe and cost-effective transport services through the regional train and road coach network, the maintenance of infrastructure, and the management of contracts associated with these services.

Martin White

Executive Director
Transperth System, Regional and School Bus Services

Martin joined the PTA in 2006 from the Eastern Goldfields Transport Board (trading as TransGoldfields), where he was general manager. He has 24 years’ experience in public transport, having previously worked in both DoT and DPI. He is a qualified accountant and has a post-graduate qualification in management.

He is responsible for managing, coordinating and marketing the Transperth system, comprising commercial bus contractors, a commercial ferry contractor and the urban passenger rail services. His role is also responsible for the management of Regional Town Bus Services and School Bus Services throughout WA.

Kevin Kirk

Executive Director
Finance and Contracts

Kevin has more than 40 years’ experience in public service and has held senior roles in Main Roads WA and DoT. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree and is a CPA and a fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants. His professional interest is in the areas of financial management, business performance and procurement.

As the PTA’s Chief Finance Officer, Kevin is responsible for maintaining PTA’s financial management and procurement systems and processes.

David Browne

Executive Director
Safety and Strategic Development

David joined PTA predecessor WAGRC in December 2002 as a policy officer. He has a Master of Transport Studies degree (UWA) as well as qualifications in policy and management. He had previously spent 20 years in the aviation industry including 15 years in the RAAF where he worked in a number of areas including strategic airspace management, policy and planning.

He is responsible for the provision of strategic services in safety, policy, business and information management, workers compensation, risk management, disability access, environment, emergency management and strategic planning, as well as the management of the freight rail network leases and the PTA’s involvement in freight rail network development initiatives.

Brian Appleby

Executive Director
People and Organisational Development

Brian joined the PTA in February 2008, bringing more than 30 years’ experience in labour relations, human resource management, workforce services and learning and development.

After beginning his career in the private sector, Brian undertook a range of roles as an operative, operational manager and director in key public sector agencies and central Government departments. He has a post-graduate qualification in industrial relations and is a former Australian Army Reserve officer. He is vice-chair of the Logistics Training Council and a member of the Australasian Railways Workforce Development Committee.

Along with his responsibility for strategic people management, Brian oversees the delivery of functional human resource services for the PTA’s people.

Ross Hamilton

Executive Director
Major Projects

Ross has worked for Westrail and the PTA for 27 years in various roles including construction, planning, land rationalisation and maintenance. With the inception of the PTA he worked as manager of track and civil infrastructure, then took over the construction of the Mandurah railway through the critical commissioning phase for the commencement of services in December 2007.

In his existing role, he is responsible for the delivery of major projects for the PTA and is working on the Perth City Link project, the extension to the Joondalup Line from Clarkson to Butler, the transport infrastructure component of the new Perth Stadium project, the new Aubin Grove Station and the multi-storey car park at Edgewater Station. With the development of the route for the Forrestfield-Airport Link under way, the size and complexity of this project will also see it being managed from within the Major Projects area.

Peter Martinovich

Executive Director
Infrastructure Planning and Land Services

Peter began his railway career with WAGR as a junior clerk in 1964, graduated as an engineer in Westrail’s civil engineering branch in 1974 and was made Maintenance Engineer in 1987. After serving as Planning Engineer for the developing Northern Suburbs Railway, Peter rose to the position of Principal Engineer Planning and Permanent Way before transferring to DoT in 1995 as Manager, Transit Planning.

At DoT, he set up and led the team which developed the South West Metropolitan Railway and Northern Suburbs Extension Master Plans. He was appointed Deputy Project Director of New MetroRail in 2003. After completion of the NMR Project in 2007, he was appointed Director of Railway and Infrastructure Planning within the N&I Division.

In 2009, he was appointed Executive Director of the newly-formed Infrastructure Planning and Land Services Division. In March 2014, Peter completed 50 years’ service to the rail industry with the PTA and its predecessors.

David Hynes

Manager Corporate Communications

David brought a wealth of communications experience to the PTA (then WAGRC) when he joined the organisation in 2003 and has been a significant contributor to its communications activities, especially media relations, since then. Immediately prior to his appointment he had been working as a Government media adviser to a senior Cabinet Minister.

He had previously worked as a freelance journalist, writing for a range of national and international publications, and ran his own public relations consultancy, providing high-level strategic advice to a large number of clients. This followed a 20-year career at WA Newspapers working on the Daily News, Weekend News and Countryman, culminating in a three-year stint as Business and Finance Editor of The West Australian.