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Q. What was your first job after graduating from university? A. I grew up in Adelaide and I studied geophysics at Flinders University. After graduating, I worked as a field assistant before starting on a contract with the South Australia Geological Survey. At the Geological Survey I was fortunate to be a part of the pioneering South Australia Exploration Initiative (SAEI). I then went on to manage successive exploration initiative programs where I was responsible for the design and implementation of more than one million line kilometres of airborne geophysical surveys. I also designed and oversaw the acquisition of other large-scale geophysical surveys including ground gravity and airborne electromagnetic. It was these surveys that gave good insight into what mineral...

MEET Buenos Aires: a cosmopolitan metropolis with old-European charm and contemporary barrios (neighbourhoods). It is a city that effortlessly mixes the old and the new. Antique stalls in San Telmo rival sleek designer shops in Palermo, and milongas (tango parties) are just as popular as trendy nightclubs. Historical cafés are crammed between Starbucks stores and local steakhouses put MacDonald’s to shame. On the fringes of Buenos Aires’ grand, leafy parks are downtrodden, dilapidated streets. The Argentinian capital, famous for its fútbol, will seduce you like Paris but shock you like a true Latin American city. Sitting on the edge of a bustling port, Buenos Aires, home to about 13 million people, is very much on the rise and is rapidly...

THE US rapidly emerged as an industrial giant in the years following its Civil War. Industries such as manufacturing, petroleum refining, steelmaking and mining grew at exponential rates as the country crossed the threshold from being a staple exporter to having a national market economy for the first time. A population explosion of the blue-collar working class was an immediate result. Millions of newly-arrived immigrants and ex-rural folk journeyed to urban centres in the hope of improved job security and prosperity. They were often sorely disappointed: most manual jobs required long hours for very little pay, which often meant that every able family member – including children as young as three or four – worked simply to survive. As a...

INTERNATIONAL corporate travel company HRG has created a new division, HRG Logistics, to service the travel needs of resource hot spots around the world, including Perth and Queensland. HRG supports the requirements of companies within the mining, energy and marine sectors and its team has many years experience managing travel programs within these areas. The company is focussed on providing 100 per cent effective solutions to its clients and has developed several products in order to do this, including: HRG CrewBooker, for the management of fly-in, fly-out and workforce management manifests; HRG Charter, for non-routine passenger transport services; and HRG Online, the company’s own online booking tool enabling multiple passenger bookings, automated hotel bill back, regional hotel and camp accommodation...

SINCE 1978, Concierge Business Travel has consulted as a boutique travel management company, leading the industry with innovative concepts and technology. The company, which has developed an in-depth knowledge of mining travel requirements, will soon launch its new crew movement booking tool with potential to save mining companies time and money during every crew change. “We see our new crew movement booking tool as a leap forward for the resource industry,” Concierge Business Travel general manager Renos Rologas said. “It means companies can confirm crew FIFO travel in minutes instead of hours, which will result in easier planning and cost savings.” As a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week Australian-based operation, Concierge Business Travel responds quickly to booking requirements, getting crew...

PRIVATELY-owned World Travel Professionals is one of Australia’s fastest growing travel management companies. Established in 1994, the passion for excellence of the owners, Michael-Chase Smith and Lisa Story, remains undiminished today. They are committed to providing clients with the perfect blend of personal service and innovative technology, delivering optimum results no matter the size or nature of the travel program. World Travel Professionals’ partnership with Amadeus, the world’s leading travel technology provider, allows for unique client solutions to be identified. The introduction of OneClick, Amadeus’ traveller safety and security product, has enabled clients to comply with duty of care obligations by being able to monitor the travel plans of travellers and make contact in the event of an emergency. In...

THE world’s third largest corporate travel management company, BCD Travel, will soon be opening an office in Perth to address the increasing travel demand from the natural resources sector. Currently servicing the mining, infrastructure and construction industries, BCD Travel expects its number of clients in this sector to double this year. “BCD Travel is already well-versed in the resources industry nationally; we are excited to be in a position to grow our Australian presence to support our expanding client base,” BCD Travel general manager Louise Wheeler said. “Our clients in the resource sector are predicting exponential growth with several high profile projects set to boom in 2012.” As an organisation with strong links to emerging markets within Australia and the...

MOST mines sites are in remote areas and harsh environments, posing safety risks on multiple levels. It is therefore important to reduce travel risk as much as possible by using a reputable, safety conscious aviation company with intimate knowledge of the region. With a growth in the mining sector, there is a growing need for aviation services, including executive transportation, shift rotation, aero-medical and spare parts delivery. It is important to select an aviation operator which aspires to the same stringent safety policies as most mine sites. ExecuJet Aviation Group undergoes regular internal and independent aviation safety audits and rates among the best in the industry. The independent safety audit organisations that have rated ExecuJet include: BARS, Wyvern, Hart Aviation...

ACCORDING to business travel specialist Corporate Traveller, mining companies have been able to chip hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off their annual travel spend by incorporating best fare of the day (BFOD) and best rate of the day (BROD) strategies into their companytravel policy. When using a BFOD and BROD strategy, a company’s travellers will be advised to select the cheapest airfare or hotel rate of the day across a range of suppliers. Corporate Traveller’s general manager WA Stephan van Arnhem said companies using a BFOD rule in their travel policies were saving between 20 and 30 per cent on their annual airfare expenditure. “Their overall spend is generally less and they’ll also be seeing the cost benefit of...

NOW in its 22nd year of operation, Independent Aviation specialises in aircraft charter procurement throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific region. With the most sophisticated aviation database in Australia, it arranges hundreds of aircraft charters every month, using aircraft of all sizes and types for every kind of mission. Independent Aviation has significant buying power in the market and an enviable reputation for providing prompt, reliable and innovative solutions to air transport problems. The company’s 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week flight desk team backs this up with detailed management of every charter to ensure a successful operation and customer satisfaction. In accordance with international best practice, all Independent Aviation charter flights are 100 per cent carbon offset, at no additional cost...

FOR more than 10 years Australian manufacturing company Ute Safe has been perfecting the manufacture and supply of aluminium boxes for mining applications. Found at a number of mines sites in Australia and overseas, Ute Safe boxes are made from non-sparking aluminium to keep dangerous goods safe and dry. The boxes also have solid housings to take care of sensitive measurement equipment and robust compartments to allow safe storage of electrical plumbing and mechanical tools on service vehicles. Ute Safe now offers a new standalone sliding door product, which can be made in a range of dimensions, from 450mm to 1500mm slide extension. Designed to be water resistant with a triple-sealed opening and fully-welded case design, these sliding door boxes...