7 February 2008

National Energy:
2007 Winner Takes Company from Startup to Market Leader

The winner of the 2007 Queensland Professional Manager of the Year, Richard Cottee, Managing Director of Queensland Gas Company said he was proud to have won the Award and attributed his achievements to valuable lessons learnt from past experiences.

In awarding the Professional Manager of the Year award, The Australian Institute of Management (AIM) honours senior managers, executives and leaders of medium to large enterprises who work for their organisation in a professional management capacity and who have done extraordinary things for their organisations on a day-to-day basis.

In his three years as Managing Director, Richard Cottee has ensured the continued viability, growth and profitability of Queensland Gas Company (QGC). His success in bringing the business from a minor company into one of Queensland’s top 50 companies won him the prestigious Professional Manager of the Year award.

The judges at the AIM 2007 Management Excellence Awards, held on 2 November in Brisbane, said that Mr Cottee had been chosen from an outstanding field. “He displayed all the hallmarks of an inspirational leader starting with a strong work life balance for himself and his family. He is in touch with all stakeholders, constantly searching for intellectual stimulation; empowering his team; focussing on outcomes; articulating a clear vision and acknowledging the contribution of others” the judges stated.

“I’ve learnt over the years that management is not about avoiding risks, but managing them better than your peers,” said Mr Cottee.

“In addition, to cultivate a more efficient work environment, I always try to evaluate and scrutinise my ideas before presenting them to my team.”

Mr Cottee has more than 20 years experience in resources and energy, and in recent years has been involved in the development of over 2,400 megawatts of generation capacity in Queensland and the United Kingdom. He also has wide experience in project financing and other financing instruments.

Before joining QGC, he served as Managing Director of NRG Energy Ltd (United Kingdom and Eire), Chief Executive Officer of CS Energy Limited, Executive Director of Cyprus Australian Coal and Oakbridge Pty Ltd and Commercial Manager of Santos Limited.

Mr Cottee is a Director of Monto Minerals and the President of the Australian Coal Seam Gas Council.