Carla Purcell is the CEO of Melbourne’s iconic Yarra Trams network, proudly operated by Australia’s largest provider of multi-modal public transport, Keolis Downer.

A Melbourne local, Carla was a passenger long before joining Yarra Trams as Chief Operations Officer in 2018, where she drove significant improvements in safety, customer service, and disruption management.

Prior to joining Yarra Trams, Carla was a corporate lawyer both at Ashurst and Qantas, before making the jump to the operational side of the business to serve as Qantas’ Head of Sydney International Terminal, Qantas’ flagship airport and the epicentre of Qantas’ international network.

A committed leader, Carla consistently delivers results and innovations and puts passenger experience at the heart of her work to ensure that the tram network continues to be a service that Melburnians can be proud of now and into the future.

Carla is passionate about improving diversity and representation across all areas of Yarra Trams and addressing the structural challenges that hold women back in the business. She has advanced gender diversity at Yarra Trams through initiatives such as the introduction of part time work opportunities and focus on facilities. Carla is a member of the Women in Transport Steering Committee and National Women in Transport Speaker Bureau.