TNBN board topped with energy and infrastructure execs

The Federal Government has announced the names of three more board members for TNBN Co, the Tasmanian National Broadband Network Company.

Mark Kelleher, Dr Daniel Norton and Sean Woellner join previously appointed Alison Terry, Jody Fassina and Greg McCann as directors.

They also join executive chairman and former Telstra Country Wide exec Doug Campbell.

Dr Norton is one of Tasmania's most qualified executives - a former chief executive of both Hydro Tasmania and Aurora Energy, the joint shareholder in TNBN Co.

Hobart-based Norton is also chairman of the Tasmanian Ports Authority, the Menzies Research Institute and Capital P&O Logistics and a director of train freight company Freightlink.

Norton also has experience working with government - formerly employed as secretary of Tasmania's Department of Premier & Cabinet.

Mark Kelleher, meanwhile, is managing director of wind energy company Roaring 40s, a joint venture between Tasmanian energy utility Hydro Tasmania and renewable energy business CLP Asia.

A former Telstra strategist, Kelleher was also responsible for the construction of the Basslink electricity pipeline, over which the state now also enjoys wholesale network connectivity to the mainland in competition with Telstra.

Until December 2008, Sean Woellner was chief executive of infrastructure engineering contractors Tenix Alliance - which designs and constructs water, power and sewerage pipelines.

Woellner has also worked for Downer EDI engineering and Leighton Contractors, owners of Nextgen networks.

NBN Co chairman and CEO Mike Quigley is also a former Leighton executive.

"These appointments ensure that we have a high quality board to drive forward the rollout of the National Broadband Network in Tasmania," said Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.