THE GRILL: Angela Gillham

DCN speaks with Maritime Industry Australia chief executive Angela Gillham about maritime careers, the West Australian southwest coast and which Australian she considers truly inspirational.

How did you come to work in maritime sector?

It was more than 20 years ago with the then Australian Shipowners Association. I answered an ad in the newspaper having recently moved back to Melbourne from New South Wales after finishing a contract role with Clean Up Australia. I was looking for experience in an industrial context (my background was in environmental science). The ASA advertised at the time for a research officer and I was hired by Teresa Lloyd (past CEO of ASA/MIAL). I had completed a major in fisheries and aquaculture management as part of my degree which proved relevant as we were involved in a lot of work on marine invasive species at the time, looking at the impacts of biofouling and ballast water.

Have you had any mentors?

The obvious one is Teresa Lloyd. We worked together at MIAL for around twenty years until she left and I filled her shoes in the CEO role. Another would be John Lewis from the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG). John provided scientific oversight to joint ASA/DSTG research projects on biofouling over several years. John’s knowledge of marine biology and anti-fouling paints is impressive, but his warmth and gentle manner, focus on the importance of relationships and calm style certainly had an influence on me.

The maritime sector might have been seen in the past as being ‘blokesy’ or male-dominated; would you recommend it as a career for women?

I would encourage anyone to pick up a career in the maritime sector. It is a vast industry and so interesting with many options and different specialisations. There was a time when I would mostly be the only woman in a room or in a meeting, but there are increasingly more women becoming involved in maritime and an increasing number in senior positions. I’m lucky to have had mostly positive experiences and I would encourage women and men to consider it as a career path.

The government recently announced the start of the strategic fleet policy with the ANL Kokoda; how significant a moment was this for Australian maritime?

It is incredibly significant. The Labor government came to power in 2022 on the back of several proposed policy changes the strategic fleet being one. While there has been an eye-watering number of reviews and many of us have a serious case of ‘consultation fatigue’, until this first Strategic Fleet vessel announcement, I’ve not been able to point to any material progress. This announcement followed a lot of work by government, industry, the unions and our members, so it is a huge moment for the industry. We can finally say now that we are ‘turning things around’ so far as Australian maritime is concerned.

The decline in Australian sovereign maritime capability is quite terrifying when you consider we are an island nation. I can’t take much personal credit for this announcement, but I do have an immense feeling of pride in what has been achieved.

Away from work, how do you like to spend your time?

I have three teenagers, so I am kept busy driving them to and school and sports or parties or just picking them up from the movies. It is incredibly busy. But I do enjoy pottery once a week (I’m not very good but I thoroughly enjoy it) and also yoga. My pottery class was initially a gift from my partner and I’ve stuck with it for four years. It’s a great creative release and an opportunity to decompress in a stress-free friendly environment. The downside is that my home is full of tiny and rather useless handmade ceramics. There isn’t a lot of time for extra-curricular activities in my life, but I do try and prioritise some time for myself which I think is particularly important for women who carry a significant portion of that mental load in households.

Do you like to read? Whose literary work do you enjoy?

I love to read and enjoy both fiction and non-fiction. A standout for me would be The Bush by Don Watson that talks about post-colonial changes to the Australian landscape and destruction of the Australian bush during that time. Much of the book is focussed on Gippsland in Victoria which is an area that is incredibly familiar to me. The wholesale destruction of significant old growth forests in Victoria during that time is quite tragic. I love Don Watson’s writing so he would be a standout author for me.

Have you got a favourite place for a holiday?

My sister lives in the southwest of Western Australia and I really enjoy visiting her - the wildflowers in that part of the country are incredible and the coastal scenery is quite special – I think my favourite beach would be Bunker Bay just out of Dunsborough. I don’t get there enough but that would probably be my favourite place.

Is there any Australian person you find inspirational?

I am a tragic Peter Garrett fan (lead singer in Midnight Oil and former federal environment minister). I love the music of Midnight Oil and admire Peter Garrett’s activist spirt and his ability to articulate and stand up for issues he cares about. I’ve loved watching the different twists and turns his life has taken – I find him incredibly inspirational.

This article appeared in the June | July 2026 edition of DCN Magazine