“I always wanted to be more than just ‘the numbers guy’. One thing I’ve learnt is that you control your career, you need to be proactive. If you want something, you need to ask for it. Speak up!”
Discover Den's career journey so far, the skills he uses everyday and his favourite Transurban memory.
Take us through your career journey at Transurban – where did you start, where did you move to, and where are you now?
- Came into Transurban as a Finance Partner. A major highlight of the role was acting as a strategic partner to a range of stakeholders as they stood up their new functions, which also helped me quickly learn more about this part of the business.
- Joined the Investment Partners function. I had incredibly supportive mentors, whose combined backgrounds in investment banking and law provided a holistic learning experience and allowed me to see commercial problems from different perspectives. I spent the next three and a half years working on a variety of things, from exploring partner strategy to cost recoveries, and driving consistency across our markets.
- Recently, in June 2026, I made the jump across to our Corporate Strategy team. I had a chat with the team manager and it felt like a natural next step to keep broadening my experience. The business’ focus on promoting internal career paths definitely made it possible.
What skills from your previous positions helped you hit the ground running, and what is a completely new skill you use every day now?
Being analytical and having a curious mind were firmly planted in my finance-driven way of thinking. But beyond the technical side, the most useful transferable skill was the ability to collaborate with different stakeholders, establish trust quickly, and find common ground.
As for new skills, I’ve developed a greater ability to navigate ambiguity. Having worked on various projects and initiatives, I’ve become more comfortable starting with a blank slate, breaking down complex or unstructured problems, and finding a logical path forward.
What is one of your favourite memories or achievements here at TU?
When I landed both of my new roles, I was really stoked!
But one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had here was working with our GM of Strategy & Commercial on the West Gate Tunnel Project. I learned so much just from being in the same room as him while he strategised. Hearing him talk about his approach to dealing with problems from a commercial perspective was invaluable.
