Australia-New Zealand Direct Line, a Santa Ana-based ocean shipping line, appointed Stuart Rattray of Irvine its chief executive officer, effective April 17. Rattray will assume the position from Michael Beard, who will take on CEO duties for Tranz Rail in New Zealand.
Rattray will oversee all operations within the company including the trade routes in North American, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Rattray has been ANZDL’s executive vice president since last year. He has also been the company’s vice president of operations; vice president, Australasia in Sydney; vice president, commercial in Santa Ana and senior vice president, North America.
Before joining ANZDL in 1988, he was North American trade manager for the Shipping Corp. of New Zealand and terminals and operations manager for Seabridge New Zealand. Before that, Rattray held several positions with the Associated Container Transportation Services in England and New Zealand.
Rattray said he plans to build on the reputation the company has attained.
“I have the same core values Michael has in terms of customer service,” said Rattray. “We have a good team and a successful formula that doesn’t need to be changed.”
The future CEO has a Bachelor of Science degree in nautical studies from Plymouth College of Maritime Studies in the United Kingdom. His interests include skiing and traveling. Rattray and his wife, Maggie, have been Orange County residents since 1997, when ANZDL moved from Long Beach to Santa Ana. They have 2 children: Ben, 20, who is a junior at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, and Alana, 16, who is a junior at University High School in Irvine.
