Corporate Ladder: your weekly guide to executive appointments in South Australia
South Australia’s premier executive appointments column tracking the movements of those driving the state’s public and private sectors. Plus, the latest executive recruitment opportunities.
Giving credit where it’s due
Credit Union SA has appointed Jordan Norris as Account Manager of Development Finance and Michelle De Palma in the newly created position of Relationship Manager of Home Lending.
Jordan Norris
Norris has re-joined Credit Union SA after spending the last 15 months at Westpac in the Business Banking division.
Before this, he was a Broker Support Specialist and Personal Lending Specialist at Credit Union SA.
De Palma has 15 years of experience in the banking sector and most recently worked at Bank SA as Business Finance Manager.
Michelle De Palma
Before this, she was the National Relationship Director at the Defence Bank, where she managed the Defence Industry Partners Program.
She was also Vice President of the Australian Defence Industry Network.
According to Credit Union SA, the member-owned South Australian financial institution has $1.7 billion in assets and over 54,000 members.
Axiom propped up with key appointments
Property development and investment business Axiom Properties Limited has appointed James Service AM and Tracy Le as non-executive directors.
James Service AM
Service has decades of experience in investment, development, construction and management and has been Group Managing Director of the JGS Property Group since 1989.
He was Chairman of ACT Building and Construction from its inception until 2020 and Chairman of Canberra Tourism and Events Corporation for six years until 2001.
Le is an experienced commercial and strategic leader and is currently the Director of M&A for Banyan Software.
Tracy Le
Before this, she held senior executive positions at the ASX-listed technology company PEXA Group.
Axiom Properties is located on Leigh Street in Adelaide.
The owner, developer and manager of ship and submarine building infrastructure Australian Naval Infrastructure is recruiting for multiple senior roles to support a significant program of work including expansion and modernisation of the Osborne Naval Shipyard into a world-class shipbuilding precinct:
Commercial Director, reporting to the Director, Major Projects, this key role provides strategic advice relating to contract management, negotiations, risk and commercial outcomes in a complex multi-contract environment.
Senior Project Manager, reporting to the Director, Major Projects, this senior role leads the design, planning and delivery of a range of major construction and maintenance projects.
Project Director – Skills Academy, reporting to the Director, Major Projects, this senior role will be responsible for the design, delivery and outcomes of the organisation’s new Skills Academy which will play a pivotal role in upskilling a future workforce for the world-class shipbuilding precinct.
Information Security and Data Integrity Manager, reporting to the Manager Physical and Cyber Security, this role will implement best practice Data Governance and Information Management protocols across multiple business areas.
Legal Counsel, reporting to the General Council and Company Secretary, this role provides legal advice on a broad range of commercial, property and corporate matters.
New board members at Shelter SA
Kelly Walsh
The Shelter SA Board has welcomed Kelly Walsh, Dr Julie Nichols and Rebecca Pereira as Board Members.
Walsh is currently the Program Manager – Homelessness Services at Mission Australia.
She has previously worked at Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia, Hutt St Centre, UnitingCare Wesley Bowden, Caring Choice, the Salvation Army and ACON.
Dr Julie Nichols
Nichols is a Senior Lecturer of Architecture at the University of Australia, where she researches digital heritage, re-conceptualising vernacular architecture, and Islamic and cross-cultural histories and theories of spatial design in Indonesian cities.
Pereira is a Senior Associate at Finlaysons – a corporate commercial law firm on Franklin Street – where she was previously an associate and lawyer.
Rebecca Pereira
According to its website, “Shelter SA advocates for improved housing outcomes for South Australians who are living on low incomes and in housing need”.
Advocating for those in need
Hutt Street Centre has appointed Lauren Kilsby to the General Manager – Advocacy role, replacing Michelle Tobin, who leaves after 12 years of service.
Kilsby has nearly 20 years of experience in strategic communications, media and engagement.
Lauren Kilsby
She has held leadership roles in the health, defence and finance industries, and played an important role in managing the COVID-19 response at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Before joining Hutt Street Centre, Kilsby was Head of Media and Reputation at BAE Systems.
Helping South Australian renters
Not-for-profit affordable rental provider Adelaide Workers’ Homes Incorporated has appointed Katherine Bartolo to its Board of Trustees.
Bartolo has extensive experience in the property industry and has worked in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
Katherine Bartolo
Bartolo is currently the Valuer-General of South Australia and Chair of the Animal Welfare League SA.
Before this, she was Non-Executive Director at the Australian Property Institute and State Director at commercial real estate service provider CRBE Asia Pacific.
Leadership change at kwpx
Kwpx Agency’s Chair and CEO David O’Loughlin has announced the appointment of Sam Davies as Managing Director.
Sam Davies
Davies joined kwpx following its merger in 2021 with Digital Noir, where he was Director.
Davies was previously Executive Director of Brand & Digital at kwpx and also hosts the Human’s Aren’t Robots podcast.
Kwpx has also announced the appointment of Sam Talbot to the role of Head of Advertising.
Sam Talbot
Talbot joined kwpx in April 2023 and before this he worked at the advertising company VMLY&R.
Kwpx is a creative advertising agency based on Rundle Street.
Matthews Architects announces two senior appointments
South Australian architecture and interior design firm Matthews Architects has appointed staff members Sofiya Yunovidova and Brayden Josephs as Associates.
Sofiya Yunovidova
Yunovidova joined Matthews Architects in 2017 as a Graduate of Architecture after completing her Master’s Degree in Architecture at the University of South Australia in 2016.
At Matthews Architects, Yunovidova has been involved in education, residential and commercial projects.
Brayden Josephs
Before this, she was a Graduate of Architecture at JPE Design Studio and an Architecture Student at TS4 Architecture and Hames Sharley.
Josephs joined Matthews Architects in 2019 as a Graduate of Architecture after completing a Master of Architecture at the University of Adelaide in 2018.
He has been employed as an architect at Matthew’s Architects since August 2023, with a focus on education projects including the St Peter’s College Big Quad and Ngutu College.
Matthews Architects is located on Melbourne Street in North Adelaide.
Leadership change at charity for disadvantaged children
South Australian children’s charity Treasure Boxes has appointed Tammy Rees as Head of Partnerships & Engagement and Amanda Stephenson as Head of Operations.
Tammy Rees
Before joining Treasure Boxes, Rees worked in stakeholder engagement at Anglicare SA, while Stephenson was Marketing Manager at solar manufacturer Tindo Solar.
According to its website, Treasure Boxes is a South Australian not-for-profit that provides “vital essentials to babies, children and teens living in disadvantage in our community”.
A new Chair at SAFIA
Dr Nathan James Crane has been appointed as the incoming Board Chair of the South Australian Fashion Industry Association (SAFIA).
Dr Nathan James Crane
Crane has been Chair of the SA/NT Council at the Design Institute of Australia since November 2022 and was Vice Chair before this. He is also the Creative Director at the jeweller Élever Australia.
Crane has had a varied career, including as a designer at the Adelaide Review, Editor in Chief at FORM Journal, Director of the Nathan James Design Studio, tutor and lecturer at the University of South Australia, and Program Coordinator at ICHM and Director of Minutia.
According to its website, SAFIA “is a not-for-profit collective industry body bringing all aspects of the South Australian fashion industry together.”