In our latest Q&A, we sat down with Richard Arrage, Partner in Wotton Kearney’s Sydney office, to hear his story. 

We recently welcomed Richard to Wotton Kearney as a Partner in our Marine and Transport practice. With over 15 years of experience, Richard is a recognised specialist in maritime, transport, and logistics matters. 

He brings a broad legal skill set across contentious, contractual, transactional, and regulatory work, and has held senior leadership roles across both commercial and marine insurance.  

You’ve recently joined WK as a Partner in Sydney, bringing expertise across maritime, transport, and logistics. Can you tell us about your journey and what led you to WK?

I have always known WK to be a firm filled with excellent lawyers and, when the opportunity arose, the decision to join was an easy one. The Marine and Transport practice is talented, energetic and experienced, and has the expertise to advise the industry across all modes well into the future. It was the forward-looking strategic approach which drew me to WK, together with the recent pivot and growth story in the Asia-Pacific.

I have spent most of my career advising marine and transport industry participants. I have worked at global firms, national firms, and spent some time early in my career seconded to marine insurers or their agents. All roads have led me to WK and its remarkable growth story, collaborative culture, and strategic direction.

You’re highly regarded for your work across contentious, transactional, contractual, and regulatory matters in the transport and logistics space. What drives your passion for this area of law?

Like many marine and transport lawyers, I “fell” into the industry and then very quickly fell in love. Now, after more than 15 years in the sector, I can reflect on the fact that I have always had a fascination with the complexity and international flavour associated with marine and transport law, and get a real kick out of finding practical solutions that make a real difference to my clients.

I am fortunate enough to have worked with insurer and corporate clients alike, handling matters across the full spectrum of issues facing the industry, whether that be in a litigious or commercial context. This, in turn, has brought me the recognition which comes with being deeply embedded within an industry as a whole.

With growing complexity in the marine and logistics sector, what challenges or opportunities do you see emerging in the years ahead?

I think the challenges also present opportunities, and vice versa.

Clearly, automation continues to be a critical consideration for industry participants. Think unmanned and/or remotely operated vessels, and the risks of interrelated and coordinated cyber and terror incidents.

There is also the opportunity and (regulatory) challenge associated with an increasingly digitised supply chain (and whether Blockchain technology may come to the fore, eventually, to solve that issue).

There is also a clear trend of industry participants attempting to build in some level of supply chain resilience through contract management (clearly, no one wants to experience COVID-level disruption, and panic, again). Issues such as sanctions, sparked by global conflict or otherwise, and escalating tariff wars will be critical to navigate over the medium term.

Finally, although vertical integration continues to be prevalent on a global scale, there is still a large degree of fragmentation in the domestic market, bringing exciting developments in the private M&A space (especially in the mid-market). Look for an increasing number of industry deals being announced in the coming years.

How do you see WK’s Marine and Transport practice evolving across the Asia-Pacific region, and what excites you most about being part of that growth?

The Marine and Transport practice will continue to evolve in line with the firm’s overall strategic direction.

The recent expansion into Singapore and Bangkok will strengthen the team’s ability to support clients seamlessly across jurisdictions, in key growth areas and marine transshipment markets.

In addition, the Marine and Transport practice intends to broaden its focus areas in line with our clients’ interests, from litigation to corporate and commercial, regulatory to transactional, and all in between. The development of this one-stop-shop approach for our specific market, together with our Asian-Pacific presence and further growth ambitions, will position our team as a leader in the marine and transport sectors.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

Here are two truths and one lie. I’ll leave it to you to work out which is which (or, better yet, let’s chat about them!).

• I am one of those rare breeds that can knock over a double espresso at 10pm and go straight to sleep.
• When I travel, and to help me switch off from work for a while, my favourite way to let the creative side of my brain take over is through “street” photography. On more than one occasion, that has landed me in (considerable) hot water.
• I currently possess a collection of over a thousand novels in my home library, most of which are classics, or special or first editions. Some have never, and may never, be read.

Looking ahead, what’s a professional or personal goal you’re excited to focus on over the next year?

On the professional front, I am very much looking forward to embedding myself in such a wonderful and capable Marine and Transport team, and assisting in the efforts to build out the sector focus across the Asia-Pacific. I am also looking to contribute to the deepening of the firm’s relationships with key insurer clients, especially those with marine and transport insureds.

On a personal level, I am a volunteer officer of a local “grassroots” football club, and we have recently secured Federal Government funding for a ground redevelopment. That redevelopment could be a game-changer for the local community, and I am looking forward to being a part of the planning and implementation of that initiative.