The Honourable John Sharp AM is an aviator, having been a licensed pilot of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Mr Sharp was a member of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth Parliament for 14 years (1984 – 1998). He retired from the House of Representatives in 1998 and established his own high-level aviation and transport consulting company. Mr Sharp is a former Chairman of the Aviation Safety Foundation of Australia. In 2001, he became a director of Airbus Group, Australia Pacific, a position he retired from in June 2015. He has retired as Chairman of the Parsons Brinkerhoff Advisory Board, an engineering and design company operating throughout Australia and the region. He is Chairman of Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd and is also a director of Power and Data Corporation Pty Limited and a director of Lurssen Australia and a director of the Australian Maritime Shipbuilding Export Group.

Mr Sharp is a Trustee and Board Member of John McKeown House. He was Honorary Federal Treasurer, National Party of Australia from 1999 to 2017 and has retired as Chairman of Winifred West Schools Foundation. He has been a member of the University of Wollongong Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Board. He is also currently a director of the Tudor House Foundation. Mr Sharp was appointed a director of the Flight Safety Foundation following his receipt of the Foundation’s Presidential Citation for Aviation Safety, the first Australian to receive this award. He has been a director of the French, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Co-Chair of the Cancer Council of NSW Southern Highlands Branch. He is currently a director of the Climate Change Authority. Mr Sharp is a director of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, (FRRR), having joined the board in 2019.

Mr Sharp was named a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the people and Parliament of Australia, to the aviation industry, and the community during Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2018.

Lee Thian Soo
Non-Executive Director

Lee Thian Soo has extensive international business experience and currently is the Chairman and owner of a company supplying specialty medical devices, systems and drugs to healthcare institutions in the ASEAN region.

Mr Lee was one of the founding shareholders and directors of Rex in August 2002.

Mr Howell has over 39 years of aviation experience and has been with the Company since its inception in August 2002. He operated the Saab 340 as a First Officer and Captain for over 18 years for both Hazelton Airlines and Regional Express. Prior to his role as General Manager Flight Operations (GMFO) and Chief Pilot, Mr Howell was Manager Training & Checking and Deputy Chief Pilot. He is an extensively qualified and experienced simulator and aircraft instructor and has held positions as both Training and Check Captain. Mr Howell was the Chief Flying Instructor and Chief Pilot for the first integrated pilot training academy in Australia and has provided cadet pilot training for both domestic and international carriers. He is a qualified lecturer in several aviation subjects and has a Diploma of Aviation. He has held many Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegations since 1984. As GMFO Mr Howell was responsible for all facets of the Company’s flight operations and all operational matters affecting the safety of flight operations.

Mr Howell became Chief Operating Officer in July 2014. As Chief Operating Officer he is responsible for Regional Express operations including flight operations, continuing airworthiness, maintenance control, airport operations and the human factors group. Mr Howell is the Accountable Manager for the Regional Express Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

Mr Hine has over 25 years of aviation experience, including 15 years as a First Officer and Captain of Metroliner and Saab 340 aircraft and is a well-accomplished and knowledgeable instructor. He has been with the Company since its inception in August 2002 and is the Group Flight Operations Advisor, Chairman’s Office and Executive Chairman of the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (Wagga Wagga, New South Wales and Ballarat, Victoria). Preceding his current role he was the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Flight Operations and Chief Pilot. Prior to Rex he worked for Kendell Airlines from 1995, during which time he held various Check and Training Captain positions. As Chief Operating Officer he was responsible for the Company’s operations including flight operations, maintenance control, airport operations and the human factors group. Mr Hine has also had experience as a lecturer in Cockpit Systems Management for the Bachelor of Applied Science (Civil Aviation) degree at the University of South Australia.

James Davis
Independent Director

Professor Ronald Bartsch AM
Independent Director

Professor Bartsch has over 40 years’ experience in the aviation industry in a variety of senior operational, safety and regulatory roles. He was head of safety and regulatory compliance for Qantas Airways Limited’s AOC and manager of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Sydney Airline Transport Field Office.

Professor Bartsch is an experienced pilot and has extensive legal and regulatory experience. He has formal qualifications in law, education, philosophy and science, and is the author of the definitive legal textbook on aviation law. Professor Bartsch is an international aviation safety consultant and visiting Professor of International Aviation Law at the University of South Pacific and the College of Law at the Australian National University and a Senior Visiting Fellow with the School of Aviation at the University of New South Wales and the College of Law at the Australian National University. He is a former aviation specialist and Presiding Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and author of several publications including Aviation Law in Australia, International Aviation Law and Drones in Society and contributing aviation author for The Laws of Australia. Ron's latest publication, The Corona Dilemma: 20-20 Thinking for the Next Normal, will be released in 2020.