CHIEF COMMISSIONER AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Mr Greg Hood

Greg Hood is the Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the ATSB – Australia’s national transport safety investigation agency. Mr Hood was appointed to the role of Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the ATSB on 1 July 2016.

In his time as Chief Commissioner, Mr Hood has overseen a number of significant transport safety investigations and report releases across the three modes of aviation, rail and marine.

With almost 40 years’ experience across a wide range of operational, training and management roles within the Department of Defence and the civil aviation industry, Mr Hood has been well positioned to drive an innovation agenda at the ATSB. The ATSB’s ‘Evolution Program’ saw enhancements made to its world-leading practices, including streamlined operations, a multidisciplinary teams-based approach to transport safety investigations, and the introduction of remotely piloted aircraft to capture evidence following accidents and other safety occurrences. Mr Hood has signed a partnership agreement between the ATSB and RMIT University to deliver transport safety investigator training at the tertiary level to benefit the Australian transport industry.

Mr Hood began his career as an air traffic controller in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). In the civil aviation industry, Mr Hood has had the unique experience of acting as Director of Aviation Safety at CASA and acting Chief Executive of Airservices Australia, before his appointment as Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer at the ATSB. Mr Hood is the current Chair of the International Transportation Safety Association (ITSA), which is the international network of the heads of independent transport safety investigation agencies from 17 nations.

Mr Hood has a passion for the transport industry in general, and transport safety in particular. As well as being a glider and powered aircraft pilot, he is involved with a number of aviation bodies. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Freeman in the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, and a Life Member of the Qantas Founders Museum.

Before joining the ATSB, Mr Hood was a board member of Safeskies Australia and a past president of the Canberra Philharmonic Society. Mr Hood has also served as a member of the business advisory council for World Vision and for several years was a Champion for the St Vincent de Paul CEO Sleepout, raising funds for Australia’s homeless.

ATSB commissioners with the executive management team. Source: ATSB

COMMISSIONER

Ms Carolyn Walsh

Carolyn Walsh has over 35 years’ experience in policy development, regulation and safety management at both the Commonwealth and state levels. She has 20 years’ experience in the transport sector, initially as Executive Director of Strategy in the New South Wales Office of the Coordinator General of Rail, and then as Chief Executive of the New South Wales Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator.

In addition to her role as a Commissioner of the ATSB, Ms Walsh is currently Chair of the National Transport Commission. She is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committees for the New South Wales Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, New South Wales Public Service Commission, State Transit Authority of New South Wales, Ministry of Health, Western Sydney Local Health District, and the City of Sydney.

Ms Walsh has specialist expertise in safety (both transport and occupational health and safety), risk management and the regulatory framework governing transport operations in Australia.

Ms Walsh has a Bachelor of Economics degree and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Ms Walsh was appointed as an ATSB Commissioner in 2010.

COMMISSIONER

Mr Chris Manning

Chris Manning has over 40 years’ experience in the aviation industry. Beginning his aviation career in the early 1970s, Mr Manning was a Qantas cadet pilot from 1970 until 1972. He then became an air traffic controller from 1973 until 1975 before returning to Qantas as a pilot.

During his Qantas career, Mr Manning gained his command on the Boeing 767 in 1989, and was a check and training captain throughout the 1990s. From 2003 until his retirement from the airline in 2008 he held the position of Chief Pilot and Group General Manager Flight Operations. He also held the position of president of the Australian and International Pilots’ Association from 1999 until 2002.

Since retiring from flying, Mr Manning has been a Chair of The Australian Aviation Associations’ Forum, is a Director of AMDA (organisers of the Avalon Airshow), a founding Director of the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame, Chairman of Airport Coordination Australia, and a Director of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Foundation.

Mr Manning was appointed as an ATSB Commissioner in March 2015.

COMMISSIONER

Mr Gary Prosser

Gary Prosser has over 40 years’ experience in the maritime industry, coming from a seagoing career and serving on a wide variety of Australian ships in both the international and domestic trades. He was part of the inaugural intake to the Australian Maritime College (AMC) in 1980 and went on to lecture at the college.

For a number of years, Mr Prosser managed offshore supply vessel operations in Bass Strait prior to moving to Tasmania where he headed the Polar Division of P&O Australia managing Antarctic and Marine Science Vessels for the Australian Antarctic Division and the CSIRO.

Initially joining AMSA in 1997, Mr Prosser had a variety of senior management roles with the authority and was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer in 2007.

In 2009, Mr Prosser was elected as Secretary General of IALA, headquartered in Paris, prior to returning to AMSA in 2015 and retiring in 2019.

In addition to his maritime qualifications, Mr Prosser has a Bachelor of Education degree and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mr Prosser was appointed as an ATSB Commissioner in October 2019.

COMMISSIONER

Mr Noel Hart

Noel Hart has over 40 years’ experience in the shipping, oil and gas industries, including 13 years at sea in senior deck officer positions. His qualifications include a Master Mariner Class One degree, and business administration and MBA certificates.

Mr Hart left his seagoing career to join BP Australia in 1985 and has held management positions with BP Shipping in Melbourne, London and Chicago, in roles including Australasian Regional Shipping Manager, Liquefied Natural Gas and Shuttle Tanker Fleet Manager, Director of Marine and Technical Assurance (UK), and Regional and Commercial Manager (USA).

From 2006 to 2009, he was appointed to the position of General Manager of North West Shelf Shipping Service Company, based in Perth. In this position, Mr Hart was responsible for the safe shipping of liquefied natural gas from north western Australia to Asia and other global customers.

While based in London, Mr Hart was Chairman of the General Purposes Committees of both the Oil Companies International Marine Forum and the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators. He also served as Director of the Middle East Navigational Aids Service, and was an alternate director of both the Alaskan Tanker Company and the Marine Preservation Society in the USA, as well as the Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre.

From November 2008 to October 2018, Mr Hart was Chairman of Maritime Industry Australia Ltd – Australia’s peak maritime association. In June 2019, he was appointed as a director of the Mid West Ports Authority in Western Australia, and finished his more than 10-year term as a Commissioner with the ATSB in September 2019.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Mr Colin McNamara

Colin McNamara joined the Australian Public Service in 2004. Prior to this, he served as a General Service Officer in the Australian Army and was awarded the Australian Active Service Medal in 1999.

Prior to his appointment as the ATSB’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr McNamara managed a range of corporate functional areas including Human Resources, Organisational Development, Governance and Major Projects. Through his appointment, Mr McNamara continues to play a critical role in contributing to the strategic direction of the agency, and in achieving relevant objectives of the Australian Government. Mr McNamara holds a range of professional qualifications in personnel management and is a professional member of the Australian Human Resources Institute.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – TRANSPORT SAFETY

Mr Nat Nagy

Nat Nagy has been involved in the transport industry since 1996 in a diverse range of operational and leadership roles.

He joined the ATSB following a career as a commercial pilot and air traffic controller. He has held several strategic leadership and transformation roles in Airservices Australia, including General Manager Demand and Capacity Management, and Manager Air Traffic Management Service Support. In these roles, he led the workforce in the National Operations Centre, Aeronautical Information Services, Strategic Initiatives Delivery and Flight Procedures Design business areas. Most recently, Mr Nagy has been a Business Change Manager for Airservices Australia’s Accelerate Program where he delivered a program of technological, organisational and cultural change.

Mr Nagy led the operational division of the ATSB across the aviation, rail, and marine domains and has a core focus on the improvement of transport safety across all industries. Mr Nagy finished his tenure with the ATSB in July 2020.