Board of Directors
Bill Ferris AC – Non-Executive Chairman
Bill Ferris is Chairman of IES and has held the position since the company was acquired by CHAMP Private Equity in January 2005.
Mr Ferris is a pioneer of private equity in Australia, having raised his first institutionally subscribed fund with Joe Skrzynski under the AMIL brand in 1987. In 1999, Mr Ferris founded CHAMP, in partnership with Mr Skrzynski and Castle Harlan, a leading New York based buyout firm. The latest CHAMP buyout fund, CHAMP II Trust, has A$950 million in equity capital available for investment in the Australasian region.
Other current and past directorships held by Mr Ferris include the Garvan Institute of Medical Research (current chairman), Austar United Communications Ltd (2003 – 2005), APPP (1998-2001), Macquarie University Asia Pacific Council (1998-2001), Bradken Resources Ltd, Austal Ltd, The Australian Institute of Management (NSW) (1998-2001), and the ASCHAM foundation (1990-2000).
In 1990, Mr Ferris was made an Officer in the Order of Australia for his contribution to industry and the export sector.
Mr Ferris holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Sydney and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he graduated as a Baker Scholar in 1970. He was the Founder of Australasian Club at Harvard and founding Chairman of the Sydney Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organisation.
Nathaniel Childres – Non-Executive Director
Nat Childres is a non-executive director of IES, appointed in January 2005. He is also a member of the Board Risk Audit & Compliance Committee.
Mr Childres is a Managing Director of CHAMP Private Equity, having joined the firm in 2001. Mr Childres has worked in financial services since 1993, first as an attorney specialising in mergers and acquisitions, and since 1998 in private equity. Immediately prior to joining CHAMP he worked at Edgewater Capital, a US private equity fund focused on middle market leveraged buy-outs.
Mr Childres is also a director of Blue Star Print Group Pty Ltd and is a former director Bradken Resources Pty Ltd.
Mr Childres holds a graduate degree in Law from Columbia University, and a Bachelor degree from the University of California (Berkeley) in International Economic Development.
Tariq Osman – Non-Executive Director
Tariq Osman is a non-executive director of IES, appointed in April 2007.
Mr Osman is an Associate Director of CHAMP Private Equity, having joined the company in 2003. He is responsible for all aspects of the investment process from deal origination to the assessment of potential investments and through to deal execution, implementation, monitoring and exit management. Prior to joining CHAMP, Mr Osman worked at McKinsey & Company as a management consultant for four years. In this role, he worked on a range of strategic, operational and corporate finance issues facing clients predominantly in the telecommunications, retail banking and construction / manufacturing industries.
Mr Osman is also a director of Blue Star Print Group Pty Ltd.
Mr Osman holds a Masters of Engineering (Telecommunications) degree from the University of Adelaide and a Masters of Applied Finance degree from Macquarie University.
Bob Welsh – Non-Executive Director
Bob Welsh is a non-executive director of IES, appointed in April 2006. He is also a member of the Board Risk Audit & Compliance Committee.
Mr Welsh spent 22 years working for British Petroleum, both locally and overseas, where he was responsible for major sales channels and also held responsibility for the safe transport and storage of fuel across Australia and the islands of the South West Pacific. Mr Welsh brings with him extensive board experience gained with BP, having served as an executive director of BP South West Pacific Pty Ltd, BP Papua New Guinea Pty Ltd and Burmah Fuels Pty Ltd.
Mr Welsh holds a degree in Commerce from Wollongong University and is a CPA.
David Smithers AM – Non-Executive Director
David Smithers is a non-executive director of IES, appointed in August 2006. He is also the Chairman of the IES Board Risk Audit & Compliance Committee, which is responsible for monitoring and actioning risk areas of the company.
Mr Smithers was previously the Executive General Manager of listed construction company Leighton Holdings Limited and currently acts as a consultant to that company. Mr Smithers spent more than 30 years as a partner with global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and one of its heritage firms, Coopers & Lybrand. During this time, he served as Chairman of the Australian arm of the partnership from 1997 to 2003 and was a member of both the International Executive Committee and International Board during 1997 and 1998.
Current and previous directorships held by Mr Smithers include Rabobank Australia Limited (since 2003), Sydney IVF Limited (since 2005), Country Education Foundation Pty Ltd (since 2003), Sydney Symphony Orchestra Holdings Pty Ltd (since 2001), Heart Research Institute (1988 to 1998), and the National Heart Foundation of Australia (1976 – 1999).
In 1998, Mr Smithers was admitted as a Member of the Order of Australia and in 1999 was awarded the Sir John Loewenthal Award for distinguished service to the National Heart Foundation (one of just ten awarded since 1975).
Mr Smithers is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Fiona Lock – Non Executive Director
Ms Lock joined CHAMP in October 2001 as Senior Investment Analyst. Prior to this, she was with management consultants Boston Consulting Group, and earlier with the A.T. Kearney.
Ms Lock’s responsibilities include initial assessment of potential investment opportunities and management of third party due diligence processes, including accounting, legal and industry advisers. She also actively participates in the portfolio management of CHAMP’s investee companies. Ms Lock holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Finance) from the University of NSW and a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD, France, where she graduated on the Dean’s List.
Ms Lock is a Director of Food Holdings (trading as Manassen Foods Australia), International Energy Service Pty Ltd, Alleasing Pty Ltd and was an Alternate Director of Austar United Communications Limited and Sheridan International Pty Ltd.
Vin Stenta – Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Vin is the CEO of IES, having originally joined Cootes Transport in 1998 as Manager for the NSW and Queensland regions. In early 2001, he was appointed to the role of National Customer Service Manager and in July 2002 was promoted to the position of General Manager of the Cootes Transport Group. Following the acquisition of Cootes by ION Limited, Vin was appointed General Manager of ION Energy Services and was instrumental in the growth of this business through to its acquisition by CHAMP. Prior to joining Cootes, Vin worked for the Shell Company of Australia. He has worked in the Petroleum and Gas Industries for over 20 years and has vast experience in supply chain and logistics management, terminal and facilities management and aircraft refuelling operations.
Vin holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia.