Meet TEC Chairs

Name: Derek Hodge Chair since: 2002 State: NSW TEC Group: TEC 3, KEY 124

Biography:

Derek took over as Chair of TEC 3 in November 2002 having previously been a member of TEC both in Melbourne and Sydney for seven years.

Career & Achievements: Derek's career can be split into phases - the first part being in the UK as part of a large group and the second in Australia running a number of businesses.

1969 - 1985 Coats Viyella (UK) a large multi national group within which Derek progressed from management trainee to Operations Director of the Group's largest and most successful division.  At the time of leaving he was responsible for ten manufacturing plants in the UK and Northern Ireland employing 2,300 people.

1985 - 2005 in Australia as Managing Director of a succession of businesses where he was principally required to operate in a turnaround role.  In that capacity he has worked for five different employers and has managed 11 different businesses. The companies include Actil /Textile Industries Australia, Bunge (Australia) Pty Ltd (part of a South American multi national), Merv Brown Apparel Group Pty Ltd (working on behalf of a bank), Macquarie Textiles Group and the National Textiles Limited/Australian Weaving Mills Ltd group of companies. The various businesses involved consumer products marketing, textile and clothing manufacturing, retailing and importing with turnovers ranging from $8m at the individual business level to $130m at the Group level.

Derek experienced the highs and lows of business having been responsible for business expansion involving capital projects worth up to $40m, as well as business rationalisation and divestment programmes and business closures. Experiences included working for overseas parent companies, banks, family owned businesses and being the CEO of a publicly listed Group.

Derek recently retired from Australian Weaving Mills Pty where he was Chief Executive Officer of one of the few surviving textile manufacturing businesses left in Australia

Education & Associations: Education includes B Sc (1st Class Honours) Manchester University, M.B.A. Manchester University, Graduate Institute of Marketing, Associate British Institute of Management: Associate Textile Institute.

Personal: Derek is married with 2 children, and his interests include golf, running, swimming and theatre.