Logistics Bureau's Senior People

Logistics Bureau's success is built around the experience, motivation and expertise of its team. Whether in South East Asia or Australasia, Logistics Bureau's consultants, and management team members are dedicated to delivering results quickly, efficiently, on time and on budget. The following key staff head our Operations and lead a team of over 35 Supply Chain professionals.

Rob O'Byrne - Owner and Group Managing Director.

Born and educated in Jersey (Channel Islands, UK), Rob moved from London to Sydney in 1993 following 20 years in senior Supply Chain and Logistics roles at strategic and operational levels. He began building a reputation as a no-nonsense consultant who delivers results. He has a Master of Science in Logistics from Cranfield University.

Rob O’Byrne co-founded Logistics Bureau in 1997 as a result of his extensive experience in Supply Chain/Logistics and his passion for helping people improve their businesses.

Rob became a proud Australian citizen in 1997. (And Yes, he cheers for Australia at the Cricket). He is married with four grown up children.

Rob lives in Sydney and oversees the operations of Logistics Bureau, Logistics Bureau Asia, and Benchmarking Success. Since establishing Logistics Bureau in 1997, Rob has enjoyed overseeing over 1,000 projects across a broad range of industries.

His greatest satisfaction is in assisting customers improve their business and operational performance and over the years Rob has personally led projects that have delivered $ Billions in bottom line savings and improved customer service levels.

Like all of Logistics Bureau's senior staff, Rob is very much 'hands on' and spends much of his time managing Logistics Bureau's major projects in Australia and SE Asia.

Rob has produced a series of books on Supply Chain. Look out for more titles this year under the series 'Supply Chain Secrets', as well as a step by step guide for those wishing to learn more about Supply Chain.

Rob is passionate about sharing his knowledge of Supply Chain with others and has established Supply Chain School to do just that.

He is also a very enthusiastic and active speaker at many industry events through the year across the Region. Previous and upcoming speaking engagements can be viewed at Conference Engagements.

Rob can be contacted via his PA Jaris on +61 2 9037 4218 and Email

More information about Rob O'Byrne

John Loty - Non-Executive Chairman

John, a former General Manager and Corporate Counsel, is particularly interested in people, their values and the development of people skills as well as promoting the need for 'systems thinking' with emphasis on discovering what works (the strengths of individuals).

He has over 35 years extensive industry experience (including 15 years as a barrister and mediator). John believes that positive approaches are all part of the 'new way of thinking' and learning that will be the formative influence in the optimal business and leadership improvement and development strategies of the 21st century.

John can be reached on +61 411 809 404 or Email

Colin Airdrie - Managing Director Logistics Bureau Asia - Bangkok Thailand

Colin Airdrie has more than 35 years of operational logistics management and consulting experience, and has specialist industry knowledge of Asian markets.

Before joining Logistics Bureau, Colin spent nine years in Asia, over this time his positions included in-house and third party logistics operations with a nationwide network in Thailand, Logistics Director for several operating companies in Shanghai and Regional Development Director of Li & Fung Distribution in Hong Kong, managing projects in Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia.

His appointment as Senior Director Logistics for China Resources Vanguard saw Colin responsible for the development of a supply chain supporting retail operations in the Pearl River Delta. This was followed by an appointment to the role of Vice President Supply Chain with the Homeworld Group, based in Tianjin and operating across the whole of Northern China. During this period, he developed a supply chain strategy for this major retail group and designed and built major distribution facilities”.

Colin's training and development skills are also highly sought after and he has designed and delivered public courses in inventory management and warehouse operational management.

See our new Training Courses running in Bangkok:

Colin can be contacted directly at +66 81946 4490 or Email

David Riddle - Deputy Group Managing Director

David joined Logistics Bureau in 2001 and had 9 years operational experience in the Finance sector in the UK prior to moving to Australia. Following his relocating to Sydney, David spent 15 years in senior management positions in the apparel and cosmetics industries in both retail and wholesale channels with Myer GraceBros and two major American multi national companies before a transition to supply chain consulting. Since joining Logistics Bureau David has been involved and managed numerous projects related to customer service and call centre optimisation, transport & distribution outsourcing and supply chain alignment in the retail sector. David also leads our tactics team in services such as these Consulting Services - Tactics

David can be contacted directly at +61 417 486 166 or Email

Steven Thacker - Director Benchmarking Success

Steven joined Benchmarking Success in 2009 after many years as a customer of Benchmarking Success with 3 different companies, most recently as Supply Chain Director with Ingram Micro, the world’s largest IT distributor.

Steven has been involved in the Supply Chain industry for nearly 30 years and has occupied senior management positions in organisations for over 20 of that. As well working within Australia, Steven also spent several years based in and working in Asia and so brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from operating in the Asian environment as well.

Steven has a key role in Benchmarking Success focused on developing our range of services.

Steven has a Grad Dip in Logistics Management from Monash University as well as a Masters in Business (Supply Chain), also from Monash University.

Visit here for a summary of our Benchmarking Services. Or here to visit the Benchmarking Success website.

Steven can be contacted directly at +61 408 120 758 or Email

John Cole - Manager - Senior Leadership Team Member

A large portion of John’s career has been in the domestic Express Freight market, with the majority of this spent with Mayne Nickless (11 years) and Star Track Express (9 years). John has held a range of middle management roles with the main focus in Customer Service and Account Management. During his time with Star Track Express, John was involved in the first major roll-out of integrated sortation and Trace & Track technology in the Australian freight market.

John joined Dawson Consulting in 1999 to lead the Freight Optimisation business unit leading projects across all industries, but chemicals and bulk commodities were strongly represented. John moved across to Logistics Bureau in 2007, with the acquisition of Dawson Consulting.

In the past 5-7 years, John has built a strong track record in the resources and energy sectors for companies such as Rio Tinto, Pilbara Iron, Iluka, Blue Circle Southern Cement, Newcrest Mining, Dyno Nobel and Stuart Petroleum. Projects have focused on designing and validating logistics channels for the supply of remote and semi-remote mining and energy operations in Australia and Central Asia. This work has entailed; Assessment of equipment infrastructure requirements; Supplier sourcing and benchmarking; Operational and cost modeling.

John can be contacted directly at +61 411 706 726 or Email

Mal Walker - Manager

Mal commenced his career as an engineer at Colby Handling Systems before entering management and supply chain consulting with TTC, P Breed and Partners, Symonds Henderson and Deloitte Consulting. In more recent years, Mal has worked in 3rd Party Logistics with Exel/DHL in a number of capacities including Solutions Design and Global Account Management.

With qualifications in engineering, Business Administration and Logistics, Mal has over 30 years experience in the industry with a solid track record of domestic and international supply chain assignments across a range of supply chain and logistic disciplines. His specialities include supply chain design and strategy, feasibility studies, materials handling, distribution centre design, vendor managed and postponement inventory strategies, international supply chain development, project management and implementation.

Mal can be contacted directly on +61 (0) 412 271 503 or Email

Mal is one of our more multi talented team members and can often be seen behind the drum set of the Transmission Band

Chris Keller - Manager

Chris is part of our Sydney team and manages many of our optimisation projects focused around network design and cost to serve.

Chris has an MBA and a background in Accounting and Management.

Chris has more than 5 years background in leading analysis, planning and systems development within the 3PL industry. and over 3 years in management consulting for our major corporate customers.

His consulting experience also includes Business Process Outsourcing, Customer Contact Solutions, Commercial Property Maintenance, Transport and Logistics, Commercial Refrigeration and Financial Services.

You can contact Chris directly on +61 414 912 251 or Email

Keiran Hogan - Manager

Keiran’s career has spanned all aspects of industrial and MRO businesses, including technical, sales and marketing and operations management. His 25 years in business includes time with Sperry New Holland, Case Corporation (Case International), Ford Motor, and the Fiat group. In recent years his time has largely been spent with industrials, energy/resource and utility operations in Australia and SE Asia.

Keiran started his working life as a technician on industrial and farm machinery and on road vehicles, and he then moved to sales and then into marketing with multinational companies Ford, Fiat and Case Corporation. With those companies he had national and international roles in Technical Management, Sales, Marketing and Operations management. His direct responsibility for planning and logistics was the platform for his focus on supply chain management over the last ten years.

Keiran joined Logistics Bureau in 2009, and has been engaged in a wide range of projects including with Energy Australia (Ausgrid), Mitre 10, BG-Group (Queensland Gas), and THP Group (Vietnam) among others.

Keiran has an MBA from University of Western Sydney, and has recently tutored in International Marketing at UTS. He’s a keen cyclist and runner - an IronMan since 2009 - and is a member of Penrith Cycling Club and the Penrith TriClub. His interests also include modern music, and his family are active supporters of local jazz music.

Keiran can be contacted directly at +61 418 446134 or Email