Meet the Agent General
Kerry Sanderson AO is the Agent General for Western Australia. As Agent General her role is to raise the profile and knowledge throughout Europe about the high quality of Western Australian products and expertise and the opportunities for investment in the State.
To this end, key objectives include expanding the awareness of and the market penetration for a range of Western Australian commodities, manufactured goods and services. Other important objectives include encouraging further European investment in the Western Australian economy, promoting infrastructure investment and technology, education and scientific exchange and promoting the migration of businesses and skilled people to Western Australia to meet the needs of a strongly growing economy.
Prior to taking up the role of Agent General in November 2008, for seventeen years Kerry Sanderson was Chief Executive Officer of Fremantle Ports, Western Australia’s major general cargo port. Trade through Fremantle Ports has grown substantially over that period, with the container trade quadrupling over that period. Fremantle Ports has also
been acknowledged for its excellence under the Australian Business Excellence Framework receiving a rare Gold Award, the People Award and the Excellence Award in 2007.
Kerry joined Fremantle Ports as CEO in late 1991 after almost four years as Deputy Director General of Transport for Western Australia covering all modes of transport. Prior to this she was with the State Treasury as Director of Treasury’s Economic and Financial Policy Division.
Over her career she has also held positions on numerous boards and associations including the Board of the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), the Council of Curtin University, the Board of Agricultural Research Western Australia, the Rio Tinto Western Australia Future Fund, the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation and the Australian Logistics Council as well as having been President of Ports Australia, which is the national association of ports and maritime authorities.
Mrs Sanderson was named an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2004 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for service to the development and management of the port and maritime industries in Australia, and to public sector governance in the areas of finance and transport. She was the inaugural inductee to the Lloyds List Shipping and Transport Hall of Fame in recognition of her contribution to transport and shipping, and she received an Export Hero award from the Australian Institute of Export in 2008. In 1996, she was named Telstra Businesswoman of the Year for Western Australia.
Kerry Sanderson was born in Western Australia and has lived in Perth for most of her life while travelling extensively during that time. She holds bachelor degrees in both science and in economics from the University of Western Australia and in 2005 received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Western Australia.