Appointing Independent Audit and Risk Committee Members for the Department of Transport and Main Roads

Gerard Kerr

About The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR)


The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is responsible for delivering critical transport infrastructure, services and policies across Queensland.


The department’s Audit and Risk Committee provides independent oversight of financial integrity, governance, risk management, internal controls and audit processes. Supporting the Director-General, the committee plays an important role in ensuring accountability, transparency and effective decision-making across a complex public sector environment.

Queensland Government The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Independent Audit and Risk Committee Members Recruitment
The Hiring Requirement

TMR required three independent external members to join its Audit and Risk Committee.


Each appointment required a distinct area of expertise:

  • Legal and governance expertise
  • Transport engineering expertise
  • Financial audit expertise



The department sought experienced professionals capable of delivering independent oversight while contributing strategic advice and governance leadership in a complex public sector setting.

Role We Hired

Independent External Audit and Risk Committee Members

Channels We Used

Arts Hub, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Seek, Kingston Human Capital Database, traditional search and selection and our Search Algorithm.

The Challenge

The assignment extended beyond identifying technically qualified individuals.


The successful candidates needed to demonstrate:

  • Deep subject matter expertise within their respective disciplines
  • Strong governance and board-level experience
  • Strategic thinking and independent judgement
  • Public sector awareness
  • The ability to contribute to high-level risk and oversight discussions


Finding candidates with the right balance of technical expertise, governance capability and strategic insight presented a significant executive search challenge.



Our Objective

National Executive Search


Kingston Human Capital conducted a targeted national executive search across Australia.


The search focused on identifying accomplished professionals within:

  • Law
  • Transport engineering
  • Financial audit
  • Governance and risk management
Market Engagement


Leveraging extensive executive networks and industry relationships, our team proactively approached experienced leaders with established governance credentials and specialist expertise.


Throughout the process, we worked closely with TMR to ensure alignment with the committee's strategic objectives and public sector operating environment.

Rigorous Candidate Assessment


Candidates progressed through a structured evaluation process designed to assess:

  • Technical expertise
  • Governance experience
  • Strategic oversight capability
  • Independence and judgement
  • Alignment with organisational values



This consultative and evidence-based approach ensured only the most suitable candidates advanced through the process.

Independent External Members Appointed

Specialist Disciplines Represented

Executive Search Conducted

Governance Professionals Selected

3

3

National

High-Calibre


The Appointment

The recruitment process resulted in the successful appointment of three outstanding Audit and Risk Committee members.


The appointments included:

  • A specialist in transport sustainability and strategic infrastructure
  • A leader with extensive expertise in risk, governance and internal audit
  • A professional with significant experience in financial oversight and public sector audit



Together, these appointments created a balanced and highly capable committee with the expertise required to support effective governance and oversight.


What the client valued most?

The success of the assignment was driven by:

  • A targeted executive search strategy
  • Deep market knowledge
  • Proactive candidate engagement
  • Rigorous vetting and evaluation
  • Alignment of expertise with committee requirements



Kingston Human Capital delivered a carefully curated shortlist of candidates who demonstrated both technical excellence and governance capability.

Impact Delivered

✅ Appointed three independent Audit and Risk Committee members

✅ Delivered specialist expertise across law, engineering and financial audit

✅ Strengthened governance and oversight capability

✅ Supported independent risk management and financial accountability

✅ Created a balanced committee structure with complementary expertise

✅ Enhanced the Director-General's oversight capability through strategic appointments

Ready to Appoint Your Next Executive Leader?

Gerard Kerr, Co Founder and General Manager of Search and Selection at Kingston Human Capital, Queensland Government Executive Recruitment Services

Meet Gerard Kerr

Gerard Kerr is Co-Founder and General Manager of Search and Selection at Kingston Human Capital.


With more than 20 years’ experience in recruitment, Gerard has deep networks and extensive expertise managing complex search and selection projects across a range of sectors including local state and federal government, statutory authorities, government-owned corporations and ASX-listed companies.

We work as an agile team across retained recruitment projects, ensuring we can commit the time and effort of our entire search team. This allows us to reach further into the market, which means we get to evaluate more candidates and get high-quality results.

< Older Post

 Newer Post >

Other blogs you might like

Recruiting a Chief Human Resources Officer for the Department of Housing and Public Works

By Gerard Kerr • September 14, 2026
About The Department of Housing and Public Works The Department of Housing and Public Works required a Chief Human Resources Officer capable of operating across a large and complex Queensland Government environment. The role sat within the Department's People and Culture function and required an executive capable of delivering strategic workforce leadership while influencing outcomes across a substantial public sector portfolio. The position extended beyond traditional HR leadership. The successful candidate needed expertise across workforce strategy, organisational transformation, industrial relations, governance, executive influence, workplace health and safety, and public sector accountability.

Appointing a Strategic Leader for the Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism

By Gerard Kerr, Co-Founder and General Manager of Search and Selection at Kingston Human Capital • September 14, 2026
About The Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism (DWATSIPM)  The Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism (DWATSIPM) plays a critical role in advancing equity, representation and inclusion across Queensland. The department works across women’s policy, multicultural affairs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships and community outcomes. The position of Director-General required an exceptional executive capable of guiding strategic priorities while engaging with diverse stakeholders across government and the community. Kingston Human Capital was engaged to conduct a national executive search to identify and appoint a leader capable of delivering on the department’s vision and long-term objectives.
A group of people are sitting around a table with papers on it.

Executive Presence: What is it and why it matters.

By Gerard Kerr • May 22, 2025
Executive Presence shapes what others think about your leadership skills. When someone is evaluating you for a job, or a promotion - your EP is important.