CEO Message July 2020

A message from the MD & CEO

06 July 2020

It was an honour to last week be appointed to lead this great Australian company on a permanent basis.We are a proudly independent Australian company with nearly 100 years of history and I am excited by the opportunity to transform our organisation as we move forward as Ampol.

My priority as CEO is to continue to strengthen the strong connection we have with our customers and communities as the leading Australian provider of transport fuels, leveraging our strong track record and rich history. One of our greatest strengths is our culture, which is built on a proud heritage. The skills and passion of our people will continue to underpin our success and our future growth.

Operating in the new normal

We continue to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, focussing on running our business well and supporting the communities where we operate.

Like many businesses, we have been directly impacted by the decline in demand for our products and impacts to key commodity markets. In response we have implemented a range of measures to ensure safe and reliable operations for our employees and customers and to manage our costs.

There is no doubt that the impact of COVID-19 will continue to be felt as we progress through the second half of 2020 and into 2021. While it is heartening to see the progressive relaxation of restrictions in the markets where we operate, there is a tough road ahead as the economy will take time to recover.

Ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations launch at Ampol

Last month we opened our first ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging station at Avenel in Victoria and our second site in Taree, New South Wales is also now live.

These two sites are part of an initial roll out of six EV charging stations across our sites in New South Wales and Victoria that will be delivered over the next 12 months. This program is being delivered in partnership with Evie Networks who are building Australia’s largest ultra-fast EV charging network.

The Avenel and Taree sites are an important first step for our business in supporting the emergence of EV technology. Our national network of retail sites, along Australia’s major highways and close to high-traffic roads in metropolitan areas, means we are uniquely placed to play a key role in this space in the future.

We’re also proud to partner with Evie Networks, as they bring strong EV charging expertise that will allow us to further build our knowledge of services, technologies and alternative fuels that will shape our future.

Working with the Australian Government on fuel security

The Australian Government has opened a Request for Information process to identify opportunities to increase Australia’s domestic fuel storage capacity.

Ampol and the broader fuel industry have a longstanding reputation for reliably and safely meeting Australian fuel demands and we remain confident in our stockholdings and supply chains. We review our stockholdings and customer requirements on a regular basis and have invested in our infrastructure over a long period to ensure we can safely and reliably meet customer needs.

Over the last few months, we have engaged proactively with the government to discuss their priorities and opportunities for us to partner with them to bolster liquid fuel security. As the market leader with high quality expendable assets and expertise right across the supply chain, and as and an independent, Australian-owned company with, we stand ready to help in any way we can.

2020 Best All Rounder program launched

Late last month I was excited to launch the Caltex Best All Rounder Award for 2020 (soon to become the Ampol Best All Rounder!). In these unprecedented times, we are honoured to continue to deliver a program that celebrates Australian students who make a difference in their local communities and are our emerging leaders.

This year marks the thirty-fifth year of the prize, which provides all Australian secondary schools with the opportunity to recognise a final-year student considered to be a genuine ‘all-rounder’ – someone who excels in their studies, possesses leadership qualities and the right attitude and plays a positive role in their community.

Last year, over 2,000 Australian secondary schools participated. A reminder that schools can register by visiting www.caltexbestallrounder.com.au, with entries to close on August 21.

Award packs will be distributed later in the year and I look forward to being able to share with you some of the amazing achievements of these students.

Best wishes,

Matt Halliday
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer