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.
Longstanding Adelaide Festival Centre leader to retire
Adelaide Festival Centre Trust CEO and artistic director Douglas Gautier AM will retire after almost 19 years in the roles.
Douglas Gautier
Gautier began as the CEO and artistic director of the Adelaide Festival Centre in 2006 and will step down in the second half of 2025.
During his leadership, Gautier initiated a “program-led” revival, which increased annual audience numbers to 1 million.
His tenure also saw the securing of major productions such as the debut of Disney Theatrical Group’s musical Aladdin, the introduction of festivals like OzAsia, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, DreamBIG Children’s Festival and OUR MOB, and the redevelopment of Her Majesty’s Theatre.
The Adelaide Festival Centre said its board of trustees will begin an international search for Gautier’s successor in the coming months.
New Adelaide-based CEO for GHD
Engineering group GHD has appointed Van Tang, who is based in Adelaide, as its CEO for the Asia Pacific region.
Van Tang
Tang will succeed Ian Fraser, who will become GHD’s chair in July 2025.
GHD said Tang will lead the company’s operations in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, which comprises over 5600 people.
“Van is an accomplished leader and civil engineer, with over 25 years of experience and a proven track record in strategic and transformational growth and performance,” said GHD.
Tang has been at GHD for around 14 and a half years, where her previous roles have included executive director and executive general manager New Zealand Asia Pacific.
GHD was founded in Melbourne in 1928 and said it “is a global engineering and professional services company committed to making water, energy and communities sustainable for generations to come”.
Carers SA CEO to step down
David Militz has announced he will step down as Carers SA CEO in December 2024 after eight years at its helm.
David Militz
Militz joined Carers SA in 2014 as executive manager of community services and became CEO in 2016.
He also spent over three years at the Australian Red Cross in various roles including as manager of youth, families and communities.
Before this, he was manager of core services at Hutt St Centre and executive officer at RecLink SA.
“Through David’s vast experience and vision, he has steered Carers SA through a period of remarkable transformation, growing the team from 40 to over 120 staff, now supporting unpaid Carers across metropolitan and regional areas in South Australia,” said Carers SA board president Tony Simmons.
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Carers SA said it “has been providing support to unpaid Carers across South Australia” for thirty years.
Senior Manager Economic Activation, Strategy and Customer Relations for The Barossa Council. Drive strategic direction for economic development and enjoy the lifestyle rewards working in one of South Australia’s iconic tourism regions.
Director of Business Administration for established and respected multi-school co-educational entity, Trinity College. Reporting to the Director Corporate Services, the role leads and manages diverse operational, administration and compliance functions.
Head of House (Clan Guardian) for Seymour College, a leading R-12 independent girls’ school with an established reputation for academic excellence. An outstanding opportunity for emerging or proven school leaders with experience in wellbeing and pastoral care.
High-profile appointments to Playford Trust
Stephen Wade, Janine Herzig and Professor Carolin Plewa have joined the board of Playford Trust, with Trish White AO also joining as deputy chair.
Trish White AM
Wade was Health and Wellbeing Minister in the Marshall government from 2018 to 2022.
He is currently a council member of the Liberal Foundation, a board member of RSL Care SA and a board chair of Community Living Project SA.
Herzig is a metallurgical engineer who is currently the executive president of the Coalition for Minerals Efficiency.
Stephen Wade
Plewa is pro vice chancellor of research education and development at the University of Adelaide as well as co-lead chair of its Graduate Research Workstream.
White is a professional engineer who entered parliament in 1995 and held a range of portfolios under the Rann Labor government from 2002 to 2005.
She is currently on the boards of Flinders Port Holdings Pty Limited, the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator and Slingsby Taylor Pty Ltd.
Janine Herzig
The Playford Trust was established in 1983 to honour Sir Thomas Playford, who was the 33rd Premier of South Australia from 1938 until 1965.
The Playford Trust said it “focuses on areas of strategic and economic importance to the State and actively encourages outstanding students into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers”.
Neutrog Australia bolsters leadership team
Tom Shearer has been appointed to the newly created position of general manager of commercial sales at Neutrog Australia.
Tom Shearer
Shearer has 23 years of experience working in the agricultural industry, including most recently as a national manager at Elders Limited responsible for crop nutrition products.
He has also held the positions of Regional Sales Manager at De Sangosse Australia, Territory Manager SA and WA with Stoller and an agronomist with Wesfarmers.
Neutrog managing director Angus Irwin said Shearer’s appointment is in line with the company’s growth strategy, particularly across commercial markets.
“Tom’s genuine and practical approach has seen him build strong relationships with farmers, agronomists and agents throughout his career,” Irwin said.
“He joins Neutrog during one of the most exciting growth periods in our company’s 36-year history.”
Neutrog Australia is based in Kanmantoo, South Australia and said it is a “world leader in developing biologically active, sustainable products for farmers, growers and gardeners who understand that for healthy thriving plants; it all starts with soil”.
Chief financial officer starts at SEA Gas
Ngaire Walkinshaw has started her new position as chief financial officer at SEA Gas.
Ngaire Walkinshaw
Walkinshaw has 30 years of experience as a certified practising accountant working in finance and project roles.
Before joining SEA Gas, Walkinshaw held a variety of roles at ARTC for over 17 years, including most recently as project manager of its safety improvement project and its track protection rules.
SEA Gas said it “was established in 2002 to develop, own and operate the 700km underground high-pressure natural gas pipeline transmission system from Port Campbell in Victoria, connecting the Otway and Bass Basins, to Adelaide in South Australia”.
A promotion at Botten Levinson
Botten Levinson Lawyers has promoted Pip Metljak to principal, effective today.
Pip Metljak
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“Pip’s promotion reflects her dedication, expertise, and leadership not just within our firm but across the legal and planning community,” said the firm.
Metljak has been a senior associate at Botten Levinson since November 2019 and before this, she was a lawyer at KelledyJones Lawyer and a lawyer and law clerk at Piper Alderman.
Botten Levinson is a boutique planning and environment firm on Franklin Street.
SA’s deputy chief psychiatrist appointed to Innowell
Dr Melanie Turner has been appointed as the chief clinical officer of Innowell.
Dr Melanie Turner
Turner is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and is currently deputy chief psychiatrist in the office of the Chief Psychiatrist of South Australia.
She is also currently a board director at Mental Health Australia and a board member of the Medical Board of South Australia.
“Innowell is an opportunity to do something new and genuinely impactful when it comes to the provision of mental health care, not just in Australia but around the world,” Turner said.
Innowell said it is “a leading decision support platform for mental health professionals”.
Leadership change at Power Minerals Limited
Power Minerals Limited has appointed David McEntaggart as company secretary following the resignation of Jay Stephenson.
David McEntaggart
McEntaggart has 15 years of experience in the resources sector and accounting profession and specialises in corporate compliance and financial accounting.
He is a member of the Governance Institute of Australia (Chartered Secretary) and a director at Greystone Corporate Pty Ltd, Garden Play Pty Ltd and Brightside Finance.
From May 2018 to March 2024, he was also company secretary at Mining Corporate Pty Ltd.
Power Minerals is based in Kent Town and said it is a “diversified mineral resources exploration company with projects in demand-driven commodities in Argentina & Australia”.
Experienced senior executive joins Novartis Australia
Sarah Mortellaro has been appointed South Australian government affairs and partnership manager for Novartis Australia.
Sarah Mortellaro
Novartis Australia said Sarah “will be responsible for building innovative partnerships across South Australia to help improve the health outcomes of patients”.
Before joining Novartis Australia, Mortellaro was national & state priorities director (SA) and executive manager of national & state priorities at CSIRO.
Throughout her 27-year career, Mortellaro has held roles at GroPep, Novozymes, BioSA and TechInSA.
Mortellaro said she “is an experienced senior executive specialising in stakeholder engagement and the development of strategic partnerships in the innovation sector”.
Jumping on board at Volunteering SA&NT
Louise Marsh has joined the board of Volunteering SA&NT while existing board Simon Bennett and Paul Liew have been re-elected for a further term.
Louise Marsh
Marsh is a public relations specialist who has over two decades of experience advising organisations on strategic communication, stakeholder engagement and reputational risk.
She is the managing director of reputation management firm Corporate Conversation, which has Coopers Brewery, Meals on Wheels and CEDA among its clients.
Volunteering SA&NT was established in 1982 and said it is “a not-for-profit that provides support to individual volunteers, volunteer involving organisations, businesses and communities who want to make a difference”.
A resignation at Magnetite Mines Limited
Jim McKerlie will resign as a non-executive director of Magnetite Mines Limited at its upcoming annual general meeting.
Jim McKerlie
McKerlie said his resignation was due to personal commitments and other business interests.
Alongside being a non-executive director, McKerlie was chair of its board from September 2023 to September 2024.
McKerlie is also a part-time director of Cacao and Chocolate of Australian Origin and executive chair of Kendo.
Magnetite Mines said it “is an ASX-listed iron ore company focused on the development of magnetite iron ore resources in the highly-prospective Braemar iron region of South Australia”.
K-TIG non-executive director to retire
Adrian Smith has notified Keyhole Tig Welding (K-TIG) of his intention to retire as a non-executive director.
Adrian Smith
Smith’s retirement will become effective at the company’s annual general meeting on November 29, 2024.
Smith has been at K-TIG for over four years and has been managing director since November 2020.
Smith is currently also a director at MugenUni Pty Ltd, principal at Sageur Pty Ltd, chairman at Mugenuni Research Pty Ltd and a non-executive director at UniSA Ventures.
K-TIG is based in Mile End and said it is “the developer and manufacturer of a patented, high quality, high productivity and repeatable welding technology”.
