Meet our people
The Serco people who bring to life the vibrant heart of Serco
The innovators
Engineering Team HMAS Watson — engineering success
As customers go, they don't come much more exacting than HMAS Watson – the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)'s principal warfare training establishment. But Serco Defence’s engineering team at the base have won their customer's confidence with a series of innovations that are achieving significant time and cost savings while raising learning standards at HMAS Watson and other RAN training bases.
According to Robert Sperling, Contract Manager: "Our team is capable of analysing and resolving engineering issues really quickly. In fact, the customer is so excited by our innovations and overall commitment that it currently rates our performance 8/10 – or exceptional."
Photo: Tran Truong – Engineering Team Manager
Commitment beyond expectations
Graeme Alexander — meeting devastation with boundless humanity
When communities around the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales faced devastation from floods in June 2007, Serco hospitality manager, Graeme Alexander, stepped in to combat an 'immense disaster'.
Graeme, who works for Serco Sodexo Defence Services, was pivotal in co-ordinating
relief activities for the Hunter Valley community. Working closely with the Defence Support Group, Graeme worked tirelessly to put assets at the public’s disposal. He provided trucks to evacuate the Mercy Nursing Home; prepared contingency plans for accommodation and rations for stranded members of the public. He even found time to don a chef’s uniform and provide meals to customers in the officer’s mess.
Tony Parkin and Gavin Wolpert
—
answering the call of duty
In November 2006 an Australian Navy Blackhawk Helicopter crashed in the Pacific Ocean. Whilst most of the crew were rescued the helicopter sank with the body of Trooper Joshua Porter.
The Australian Navy committed to recovering the body and turned to the Seahorse Standard Support Craft for help. Meeting the challenge would require the installation of special surveillance equipment and the welding of a 100 tonne mobile crane to the deck.
That is where Tony Parkin and Gavin Wolpert stepped in. They took the challenge of designing and executing the installation in record time. Their colleagues from DMS Maritime then volunteered to crew the ship. Their combined initiative, hard work and true commitment meant that Trooper Porter’s body was returned to his family and the helicopter salvaged from the sea bed.
Making an exceptional impact
Sophie Dent and David Smith
—keeping the Overland on track
Hats off to David Smith and Sophie Dent, whose creative talents have helped to give one of Australia’s best loved train services a new lease of life.
The Great Southern Rail (GSR)'s Overland service from Adelaide to Melbourne was in danger of hitting the buffers. Its market offer was static, its rolling-stock was outdated and limited promotion meant that ticket sales were slow. After GSR won government funding to refurbish the Overland’s carriages, Sophie and David created a high-impact, low-cost and hugely successful marketing campaign that has put the service's fortunes back on track.
Inspirational leadership
David Morris
—safety and success
David Morris's positive impact on Serco's business performance is indisputable. In 2007, he was instrumental in rebidding the BlueScope Steel contract in New South Wales. Drawing on his close working relationship with the customer, David also succeeded in extending the contract’s scope while raising revenues and margins, demonstrating significant cost savings.
Meanwhile, the BlueScope Steel contract finished 2007 with revenues up 14% and profits up 34%. David’s impact is not confined to the bottom line: he was the driving force behind the successful launch of the Service Fit Programme and under his leadership, the BlueScope Steel contract team hasn’t recorded a lost time injury for over five years.
A heart of gold
Ian Poulter
— selfless heroism
In the early hours of 3 January 2008, Ian Poulter – Sydney-based Chief Financial Officer of DMS Maritime – was woken by thick smoke coming from the house of his neighbour, David Shaw.
Ian rushed to the rescue with two other neighbours, Jeff Barrett and Nick Barrett. According to Jeff: "Ian was standing at the door and just said: 'Come on, we'll go in'," before breaking into the blazing house and bringing Mr Shaw to safety. They then doused the 61-year-old grandfather with water whilst waiting for the emergency services.
"They did exactly the right thing," said a spokesman for the New South Wales Fire Brigade, which is set to honour the men with a bravery award.