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.
Grown for the role
Beloved South Australian horticulturalist Sophie Thomson has been appointed to the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium.
Thomson inherited her passion for gardening from her parents while working as a Manager for the David Thomson Nursery from 1989 to 1997.
She started as a TV Presenter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 2005 and continues to present for ABC TV Gardening Australia.
She began writing regular gardening columns for publications including Gardening Australia Magazine and Nature Play in 2011 and continues to contribute regularly to national publications.
Since 2018, Thomson has been a Radio Broadcaster for ABC Adelaide Radio hosting a weekly talkback show with Peter Goers.
Thomson is most well-known for her property in the Adelaide Hills called Sophie’s Patch where she has provided a range of gardening-related professional services as a Horticultural Consultant.
She sold Sophie’s Patch last year and is working on a new project while continuing her services as a Horticultural Consultant.
First female CEO for SeaLink
Donna Gauci has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of SeaLink Marine & Tourism – a division of the Kelsian Group which is Australia’s largest integrated multi-modal transport provider and tourism operator.
Gauci began with Sealink almost two decades ago as a General Manager based in Aukland, New Zealand.
She moved to Adelaide in 2011 and continued as General Manager until 2018 when she was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
She was Chief Operating Officer from 2019 to 2023 before being appointed as the first female Chief Executive Officer in July 2023.
Elders announces CFO
Real estate agency Elders Limited has announced Paul Rossiter as the permanent Chief Financial Officer after acting in the role since August 2022.
Rossiter joined the company in 2004 as a Finance Manager and was promoted to Group Treasurer in 2012.
Prior to joining Elders, Rossiter worked in the finance sector for companies including Credit Suisse in Sydney and Morgan Stanley in London.
He is a Certified Practising Accounting and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA).
Making change
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the national diversity and inclusion certified social enterprise Community Corporate, Carmen Garcia has been appointed to the Board of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
Garcia founded Community Corporate in 2013 to remove barriers for disadvantaged job seekers through training and by partnering with national businesses to provide job opportunities across the country.
Garcia was awarded the State Contribution Award at the inaugural InDaily 40 Under 40 event in 2018 and returned to the program in 2023 as a judge.
Prior to starting her company, Garcia held roles as Chief Strategy Officer for Access Community Services Ltd and Chief Executive Officer of Multicultural Youth South Australia Inc.
Garcia serves on the Board of the Australian Multicultural Council and is a Commissioner on the South Australian Multicultural Commission.
Flying into a new role
The Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT (RFDS) has appointed Mike Galvin to the newly-created role of Executive General Manager of Aviation and Logistics.
Galvin worked with Qantas for over three decades as an Airline Pilot and spent seven years as Head of Fleet Operations.
He worked with NSW Health from 2020 to 2022 as Team Lead Manager of the State Health Emergency Operations Centre during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Galvin joins the RFDS from his role as Chief Operating Office with the start-up enterprise OCIUS Technology Limited which builds wind and solar-powered vessels.
In his new role, Galvin will oversee the flight operations, airworthiness, engineering and safety for the Flying Doctor’s 20 aeromedical aircraft operations located in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Corporate Position: the latest executive employment opportunities
Director of Learning and Development and Manager of Learning and Development for the SA Country Fire Service – roles leading a committed L&D team to enable workforce capability and directly contribute to community safety and wellbeing.
Manager of Projects and Capital Delivery for the progressive Mount Barker District Council located 25 minutes from the Adelaide CBD.
Director of Development and Community Services for the Barossa Council located in the picturesque Barossa Valley less than an hour north of Adelaide.
First DMAW CEO
DMAW Lawyers has appointed Bernice Witkowski as the firm’s first Chief Executive Officer.
The newly-created position is the second internal promotion for Witkowski within the past 12 months.
In 2022, Bernice became the first non-lawyer to join the company’s executive leadership team when she was promoted to Executive General Manager from her role as People and Culture Manager.
Prior to joining the law firm, Witkowski held human resource roles for Oracle Retail systems integrator OLR and boutique HR company christie&betro.
DMAW Lawyers also promoted Senior Associate Kylie Dunn to Special Counsel and Associate Jessica Punch to Senior Associate.
Dunn has been with the firm for 13 years, starting as a Lawyer in 2010.
She served as a Committee Member for the Women Lawyers’ Association of South Australia Inc for seven years, four of them as Secretary.
Punch started with DMAW Lawyers in 2019 and was promoted to Associate in 2021.
She has previous experience as a Law Clerk for Finlaysons, Fisher Jeffries and CRAWFORD Legal.
BDO Australia promotions
Audit, tax and advisory firm BDO Australia has promoted two employees to Partner in Adelaide.
Lachlan Kennett started with BDO in 2020 as the Director of Private Wealth.
He joined the firm from KMT Partners where he was Principal of Wealth Advice.
Kennett worked for the financial planning firm ipac South Australia for seven years, starting as Administrative Assistant and working his way up to Financial Planner.
He is a Certified Financial Planner affiliated with the Financial Planning Association of Australia.
Hien Tran-Mach has worked for BDO for over 15 years, starting as a Senior Manager in 2008 before being promoted to Associate Director in 2021.
In January 2023, Tran-Mach was appointed the firm’s Director of Business Services and was quickly promoted to her current role as Partner.
Moving to Adelaide
Gino Luglietti has taken on a six-month position in Adelaide as Policy Manager with the Property Council of Australia as part of the Retirement Living Council.
Luglietti joins the national lobby group from his role as Senior Director for Investment Territory – the Northern Territory Government’s team attracting private investment and growing trade in the territory.
Luglietti has worked in government for almost two decades holding roles with the Northern Territory Government as Director of Strategic Communications, Media and Stakeholder Engagement, Director of the Business Engagement Unit and as a Senior Policy Advisor.
He was also the Non-Executive Director of Cancer Council NT from 2013 to 2019.
Legal promotions
Lynch Meyer Lawyers has announced two promotions within its firm.
Patrick Kerin has been appointed Partner from his role as Special Counsel.
Kerin joined the company in 2019 as Senior Associate from his role as Solicitor at Richards & Evans Commercial Lawyers.
He has practised as a Law Clerk for Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Johnston Withers, Angela Ferdinandy Lawyers and Hanson Chambers.
Adrianna Awkar has been promoted from Solicitor to Associate.
She joined Lynch Meyer Lawyers in 2022 after working for a year as a Solicitor with Oak Law.
She has practised as a Law Clerk for Norman Waterhouse, Kris Hanna & Associates, Belperio Clark Family, Wills & Business Lawyers and RSA Law.
She was a Student Legal Advisor for the Magistrates Court Legal Advice Service and has worked as a Freedom of Information Officer with Services Australia.
