Ken Pettit to chair Pilbara port authority

Lawyer and company director Ken Pettit has been appointed chair of the Port Hedland Port Authority board, following the recent resignation of Ian Williams.

Transport Minister Troy Buswell said Mr Pettit’s primary focus would be meeting the anticipated large growth in export tonnages through the port, which is Australia’s busiest by tonnage.

“Port Hedland is expected to double its current tonnage in the next three years, growing from 195 million tonnes to around 450 million tonnes per annum,” he said.

“Meeting this anticipated growth will be a primary focus for Mr Pettit and his board.”

His appointment coincides with a major state government review of the state’s ports, and follows the resignation of Port Hedland Port Authority chief executive Andre Bush last year.

Mr Pettit has 25 years experience as a lawyer and barrister, practicing from Francis Burt Chambers.

In May, he was appointed a non-executive director of Mindax Resources, which is looking to develop an iron ore project in the Yilgarn region.

Mr Pettit is also a board member of the Diabetes Research Foundation and the Keogh Institute for Medical Research.

Mr Pettit’s port authority appointment is for two years.