Future prosperity demands greater collaboration: Port of Vancouver
Robin Silvester
Moderator:
Natalie Obiko Pearson
Bloomberg News
The success of our country and this region is based on trade, which these days demands management not only of local and national challenges, but global trends and international risks.
Collaboration to realize common objectives is more important than ever before. If tomorrow's economy is based on the choices we make today, how can we better work together to create a sustainable, livable and prosperous future for all Canadians?
On Dec. 8, Robin Silvester, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, gave his eighth annual address to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
In his remarks, Silvester discussed the need for greater collaboration in our region. Following his keynote, Silvester was joined on stage by Natalie Obiko Pearson of Bloomberg News for a moderated Q&A.
Listen to audio from the event below.
About the speaker:
Mr. Silvester was appointed president and chief executive officer of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in 2009, bringing to the position extensive international experience in both the port and property sectors. Prior to joining the port authority, Mr. Silvester served as chief executive for the property and facilities management business, United Group Services ANZ in Australia.
Mr. Silvester spent a significant portion of his career serving in senior roles internationally with P&O Ports. As chief development officer, Mr. Silvester led the company's strategy and global acquisition program, including the businesses that became P&O Ports Canada. Having completed that acquisition, in 2003 Mr. Silvester was appointed the first president and chief executive officer of P&O Ports Canada, based in Vancouver.
In 2004, Mr. Silvester relocated from Vancouver to London, United Kingdom, and later to Sydney, Australia, as a member of the P&O Ports global executive team. Following the acquisition of P&O, then the world's fourth largest container terminal operator, by Dubai Ports World in 2006, Mr. Silvester remained in Sydney and joined United Group Limited, an ASX 100 listed Engineering and Property Services firm, as chief development officer. He led the $500 million acquisition of U.S. facilities management business Unicco. He was later appointed chief executive of United Group Services ANZ, responsible for leading the company's property and facilities management business in Australia and New Zealand.
Mr. Silvester began his career in the chemicals industry in the United Kingdom. He also worked in business management and strategy roles in the steel industry and was involved in British Steel's acquisition program.
Mr. Silvester is a Chartered Engineer, Institute of Corporate Directors, ICD.D, and a graduate of Cambridge University. He completed a corporate finance program at the London Business School. Mr. Silvester is a board member and former chair of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, an executive member and past chair of the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council, chair of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and past chair of its Policy Council, a director of the Western Transportation Advisory Council, a board member of the Canada West Foundation, a member of the executive committee of the British Columbia Business Council and a past board member of the British Columbia Maritime Employers' Association.
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