Corporate Ladder: your weekly guide to executive appointments
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.
Trent Driver has been appointed Principal of Scotch College. Photo: supplied
International investment exec joins AEDA
The Adelaide Economic Development Agency has appointed former Merrill Lynch and Barclays Capital executive Tim Last to its board.
Last is currently Partner/Director at Adelaide corporate advisory SRG Partners, where he has worked since May 2020 advising industry clients in agriculture, defence, health and real estate.
He joined SRG after eight years in Hong Kong with stockbrokers Ord Minnett as Head of Sales, Trading and Capital Markets. He also spent nearly two years with Barclays Capital, five years with Merrill Lynch and six years with Macquarie Group in similar executive positions.
Last said he was “extremely humbled” to join the AEDA board.
“I look forward to bringing an international outlook to the AEDA board, but to also ensure this is grounded in a distinctly local approach,” he said in a statement.
Last’s appointment follows AEDA adding Spendless Shoes General Manager Jaimee Charlton to its board in February, amid concerns about a lack of retail experience among the agency’s directors.
The Adelaide City Council subsidiary, tasked with marketing Rundle Mall and attracting investment, is chaired by Nikki Govan and features other corporate heavyweights including Steve Maras and Tammy Barton along with Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor and State Planning Commission Chair Craig Holden.
NSW teacher tapped for Scotch top job
Senior New South Wales education leader Trent Driver will lead Scotch College in 2023 as Principal.
The elite private school announced last week that Driver will replace current Principal and CEO Dr John Newton on January 1 next year. Newton has been at the helm since 2015 and made the decision to return to the UK to be closer to family, Scotch said.
His replacement is currently working as a Senior Economics and Business Teacher at MLC School Sydney where he was appointed in January. The bulk of Driver’s career has been with Sydney boy’s school Newington College, first as Head of Economics (2002-2010) and later as Deputy Head, Academic (2014-2022).
He also spent three years as Dean of Academic Development with Brisbane Girls Grammar School.
Driver, who has a Master of Economics from Macquarie University, noted that he does not have any experience as a principal, saying it “affords me the opportunity to be shaped by the school as much as I may shape it”.
“I hope that my work ethic and grounding in the diverse life of independent schools will contribute to the Scotch College community,” he said in a statement.
Driver’s two high-school-aged children will be attending Scotch as students.
Adelaide arts consultant takes UNESCO role
Adelaide arts figure Joe Hay has been appointed General Manager in the office of the Adelaide UNESCO City of Music.
A former Canberra-based policy officer and arts adviser to the South Australian Premier, Hay has spent the last eight years as an “innovation change” consultant in the South Australian arts scene providing advice to artists, organisations and businesses in the creative industries.
The Adelaide UNESCO City of Music office touted his “hands-on industry experience touring international acts and organising local events” along with his “extensive Australian and international networks”.
The role gives Hay responsibility for helping the office “celebrate Adelaide’s robust music credentials internationally” while facilitating “industry communication” and building “opportunities across Australia and the world”.
Corporate Position: the latest executive employment opportunities
The internal promotion of the incumbent to the CEO position of Autism SA opens up the position of Executive Manager Service Delivery Excellence at the respected and worthy South Australian organisation. As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the position leads the delivery of all commercial services at Autism SA. Applications are encouraged from professionals with demonstrated senior management experience within a comparably client focussed human or professional services environment. Health industry qualifications and experience and exposure to the NDIS will be an advantage.
Hender Consulting seeks a proactive and bright administration professional to join the support function as the Team Support Officer. The successful candidate will be an integral member of the administration team which supports General Manager, Andrew Reed and Executive Consultants – Justin Hinora, Bernie Dyer, Trish Retallick and Gill Manser. Key responsibilities include calendar management, client and candidate communication, advertising, proofing and preparation of a range of written documents, system utilisation and broad executive support activities. Consideration will be given to applicants seeking either a full-time or part-time role.
The national role of Head of People and Culture at the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) is responsible for the management of all human resources, payroll and non-technical training activities across the organisation. The position could be based in either Perth, Adelaide or Melbourne to attract an appropriately qualified human resources professional with experience in leading a people and culture function across a broad human resourced portfolio. The successful candidate will possess strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills and will act as a trusted advisor and play a critical role in achieving AGIG’s people objectives.
Good News Lutheran College’s continued growth in Victoria presents an opportunity for two new professionals to join the Leadership Team and contribute to the College’s continued success. The Head of Senior Years oversees both curriculum and pastoral care matters and is responsible for the effective operation and promotion of the Senior Years programs at the College. Applications are encouraged from experienced educational leaders with the credibility, authenticity and vision to drive best practice and lead dedicated senior school staff. The IB MYP Coordinator is a key curriculum leadership role with applications encouraged from contemporary pedagogical leaders with experience in the International Baccalaureate.
Ninti One Limited (Ninti) is looking for a proactive finance/administration support professional to assist the Finance and Payroll Officer and wider finance team as the Finance & Administration Clerk in their Adelaide office. The successful candidate will ideally have previous experience in a similar hands-on administration and finance support role. A basic understanding or exposure to accounting will be important, and there will be opportunity to develop and build on those finance skills.
South Australian practitioner sportsmed is looking for a Director – People & Culture to help design and lead the execution of their people and culture strategy, with a key focus on organisational training and development, safety and wellbeing and workforce planning. Applications are encouraged from HR professionals with demonstrated management experience in a similar role, ideally within a comparably client focussed human or professional services environment. Health industry experience is desired but not essential.
Musical Chairs at dance theatre
University of South Australia Professor of Arts and Cultural Leadership Ruth Rentschler OAM has been appointed Chair of Australian Dance Theatre.
She replaces Onkaparinga Council Corporate Director David Stobbe, who is set to remain an ADT director. Stobbe has been on the theatre’s board since 2014.
Rentschler’s promotion to ADT Chair is the latest step up in a career that has included 16 separate board appointments across arts and academia.
Her work with the University of South Australia has seen her collaborate on special research projects with the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Adelaide Festival Centre and Arts South Australia.
ADT, based at the Odeon in Norwood, also announced last week the promotion of Chloe Tanner to Deputy Chair.
Planning a move from DIT
Senior Transport Department bureaucrat Paul Bennett is joining Planning and Land Use Services as Director of Growth Management.
Bennett, currently working as DIT’s Director of Network Management Services, has had a 22-year career in the public sector, first joining the Transport Department in 2000 as a Civil Engineer.
His current role gives him responsibility for the management of South Australia’s arterial road network as a leader of DIT’s transport operations area which includes the department’s traffic management centre.
“Paul holds knowledge in a variety of transport infrastructure disciplines including long-term planning, concept planning, transport modelling, road design and delivery,” the Planning Commission said in their newsletter.
“With a career that commenced in building design and construction, and a passion for property development and urban planning, he has extensive experience in the integration of land use and transport having held positions at both a strategic and operational level.”
Bennett started his career as a Civil Engineer with Built Environs in 1998.
Company Secretary moves to lend a Helping Hand
AnglicareSA Company Secretary Luci Badge is moving to Helping Hand Aged Care in the same role.
Badge has been with AnglicareSA for six years, first joining the social services organisation in 2016 as Legal Officer before eventually working her way up to Company Secretary by December 2020.
The University of Adelaide Law graduate and former conveyancer is Helping Hand’s first-ever Company Secretary.
Helping Hand CEO Chris Stewart said Badge brings a “high level of governance and oversight to our organisation”.
“We look forward to working with her to enhance our capabilities as we work towards our longer-term strategic objectives, always ensuring our clients and their health and wellbeing are of the highest priority,” he said in a statement.
