Marika Calfas is the Chief Executive Officer of NSW Ports, the private sector organisation responsible for managing Port Botany and Port Kembla and the intermodal terminals at Cooks River and Enfield in New South Wales, Australia. Marika has over 20 years’ experience in the port sector across a range of portfolio areas including port planning and development, infrastructure management, strategy, sustainability and environment. Marika represents the sector advising government on industry reform agendas including the Federal Government’s Simplified Trade System Industry Advisory Committee. She is also a Director of TT Club, an international insurer for the transport and logistics industry, Deputy Chair of Ports Australia and Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and Council member of the Australian Logistics Council. Marika was a PIANC Australia Board member from 2012 to 2018 and Australia’s representative to PIANC’s Environmental Commission from 2012 to 2023. Marika holds an Engineering Degree (Environmental), Masters of Engineering Management and Masters of Environmental Law.

Eranda Kotelawala was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Islands Ports Authority in February 2017. Prior to that, he was the COO of Fiji Ports Corporation Limited managing five major ports of entry into Fiji. Eranda brings 25 years of management experience predominantly in shipping and several other industry verticals from Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, South Africa, Sultanate of Oman, and Singapore. He has consulted on Business Process Re-engineering Projects in major Port projects in the South Pacific, the Gulf Region and South Africa. Eranda holds a master’s degree in management from Aberdeen Business School and further specialized in Business Process Re-Engineering and Franchise Business in Entrepreneurship. He is a Chartered Fellow of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK, Fellow of Chartered Management Institute UK, Associate Fellow of The Nautical Institute UK, He is also a full member of Institute of Management Consultants Australia. Eranda is also the current IAPH (International Association of Ports and Harbors) Vice President for Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Representing the Australian National Maritime Museum, Richard de Grijs is a prolific public speaker with in-depth knowledge of maritime history. Richard holds professional appointments as both professor of astrophysics at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) and Executive Director of the International Space Science Institute–Beijing, a 25% secondment. He recently published the first detailed biography of William Dawes, the astronomer assigned to the “First Fleet” from England to Australia (1787–1788), his second history of science book following the the publication of Time and Time Again: Determination of Longitude at Sea in the 17th Century (2017). Richard spends his weekends as volunteer guide on the Maritime Museum’s historical (replica) tall ships. In addition to numerous academic accolades, in 2022 he was awarded the Blacktown Mayoral History Prize (Sydney). That year, he also received the Hella Mannheimer Award from the Hektoen International Journal of Medical Humanities (Chicago, USA).

Mike Gallacher started his working life as a police officer at the age 19. He worked in various areas of the force during his 16-year career including internal investigations, criminal investigations and special operations.

During his time as an officer Mike also became involved in the local Liberal Party Branch. He eventually ran for a seat in the NSW Legislative Council in 2003 and won. In 2005, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Police in the New South Wales Shadow Cabinet and was appointed the portfolio of Shadow Minister for the Hunter in April 2007.

Winning government in 2011, Mike was appointed Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Hunter, and Vice-President of the Executive Council, Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.

Leaving Parliament in 2017 he has now taken the role as CEO of Ports Australia, the peak industry body for the Australian Ports sector. Over the past five years Mike has been a strong and successful advocate for the port industry.