Back on the road: Transurban boss seeks greener pastures

The challenge for Charlton will be finding a position in Australia with a company as large as Transurban that requires his particular skill set. Many of the other large infrastructure companies are private, so Charlton may need to settle for a professional position away from the share market’s glare.

That said, at the heart of managing many of these companies is the ability to deliver large-scale projects. That not only opens the door to the construction and the mining industry but also to the massive green energy projects where vast amounts of capital will be invested over the next 20 years.

Charlton confides that he is seeking a company that offers the potential for him to ply his skills both in managing and financing mega projects, and balancing the complex needs of a number of stakeholders including governments, shareholders and customers.

Before Transurban, Charlton did long stints in construction and investment banking. Over the years he has established strong relationships with three state governments – having had a pivotal role in their privatisation of toll roads.

And he has dealt very closely with the large superannuation funds that are major infrastructure investors, building a reputation as an astute deal doer.

Few Australian executives would be better connected in these circles. Organisations like Sydney Airport or the NBN spring to mind as the kind that could appeal to Charlton.

While Charlton, a Texan native, says he loves Australia, he is also not ruling out heading overseas to take a new post.

His departure is an increasingly rare example of chief executive transition done properly. Charlton has clearly aired his intentions to leave Transurban at the end of this calendar year and the board has appropriately passed the information to the market.

That leaves Transurban with nine months to find a replacement – and while the company is conducting a comprehensive international search it may well land on one of the internal contenders.