SAFECOM chief executive reappointed

Julia Waddington-Powell has been reappointed chief executive of SAFECOM (South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission).

Waddington-Powell has 30 years of experience in the South Australian public sector and has led SAFECOM since August 2021.

Julia Waddington-Powell

The state government said Waddington-Powell is the first woman to hold such a position in the history of the state’s emergency services sector.

They added that she has led SAFECOM in delivering major projects such as the new Emergency Services Sector Headquarters in Keswick and the new Automatic Vehicle Location program.

SAFECOM is tasked with supporting the emergency services sector (CFS, MFS and SES) in delivering frontline service and plays a key role in emergency management across government.

Going for gold

Alexander Neuling has been appointed as company secretary at Indiana Resources Limited after the resignation of Kate Stoney and Josh Merriman as joint company secretary.

Alexander Neuling

Neuling is a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

Indiana Resources said Neuling is an experienced corporate governance, finance and compliance professional, with 20 years of experience in the resources industry and ASX-listed entities.

Indiana Resources said it is “an Australian-based exploration company focussed on advancing a portfolio of tenements, which include rare earths, gold and base metals, in the highly prospective Central Gawler Craton Province in South Australia”.

Health non-profit bolsters leadership team

The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) Group has welcomed Abbey Bell as head of public affairs and Lyn Mariager as policy lead.

Abbey Bell

THRF Group said Bell brings extensive experience in corporate communications and public affairs, specialising in the healthcare and technology sectors.

Bell previously worked at THRF Group from 2015 to 2021 in several roles including head of communications and public affairs.

Bell is currently non-executive director of Cure4 Cystic Fibrosis and before rejoining THRF Group, she was head of communications and marketing at the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre and head of brand communications at Atticus.

Lyn Mariager

Mariager previously worked for not-for-profit organisations including YMCA South Australia and Dementia Australia.

She has also held roles with state and federal members of parliament, specialising in social services portfolios such as child protection, communities, disabilities and youth.

THRC Group said Mariager will support the group’s seven charities within its client and patient services portfolio.

THRC Group is a non-profit with the stated mission of “fighting for better health and wellbeing for our community”.

Two Conservation Land Managers for the third largest non-government conservation land manager in Australia, Nature Foundation. One role will be based in Hiltaba nature reserve (70km northeast of Wirrulla & 120km northeast of Streaky Bay on South Australia’s west coast) and the other based in Adelaide.

Board Director for a leading provider of professional advisory services to a range of sectors including mining, transport, government, and environment. Outstanding remunerated NED opportunity based in Adelaide, Sydney or Brisbane for an experienced Board Director with expertise driving commercial and sustainable business growth.

DJ takes reins at Vitalstatistix

Port Adelaide-based contemporary art centre Vitalstatistix has appointed Jennifer Greer Holmes as its artistic director/co-CEO.

Holmes, who rejoined Vitalstatistix in February 2024 as creative producer, is a producer, artist, DJ and consultant.

Holmes previously worked at Vitalstatistix from March 2009 to April 2011 as managing producer. She was also executive producer at Vitalstatistix from February 2021 to April 2022.

Jennifer Greer Holmes. Photo: John Krüger

She has also held senior roles at Sydney WorldPride 2022, Come Out Festival, the Don Dunstan Foundation, Darwin Festival, the Adelaide Festival Centre, Feast Festival, the Adelaide Fringe and the Adelaide Film Festival, among other places.

Holmes commenced her position on August 1 and will work alongside executive director/co-CEO Cassie Magin.

Copper Search MD

Duncan Chessell has joined the board of Copper Search Ltd as managing director, after being appointed its CEO in May 2022.

Chessell is a qualified geologist with over 20 years of experience in business and mineral exploration, having worked in the Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, New South Wales and Alaska.

Duncan Chessell

Copper Search said he has made several gold discoveries in the Tarcoola area of Gawler Craton in South Australia.

He is also a triple Mt Everest summiteer and has guided seven summits.

Chessell founded ASX-listed Northern Cobalt, previously serving as its managing director and chairman.

He is also a co-founder and board member of not-for-profit, the Himalayan Development Foundation Australia.

NDA Law promotes new director

NDA Law has promoted Lisa Chirsto to director at commercial law firm NDA Law, after being promoted to associate director in 2023.

Christo was a founding member of the NDA Law legal team when the business was launched in Adelaide in 2015.

Lisa Christo

NDA Law said Christo has a background in tax and commercial law, with expertise in succession and estate planning, family business advisory and corporate governance.

Christo teaches commercial law in the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and Business Law for the MBD program at the University of Adelaide and is a board member of several South Australian charities.

A new role at creative agency NATION

Creative agency NATION has appointed Joe Godsell to the newly created role of managing director, while Katheryn Korczak has been promoted to director.

Joe Godsell

NATION said Godsell has more than 20 years of experience in account management and leadership.

He has been the managing director of TBWA Adelaide for the past six years.

Korczak has been at NATION for over eight years and is currently head of copy.

Katheryn Korczak

She has worked for the South Australia Police, Beyond Bank and the South Australian Country Fire Service.

NATION said the new appointments will bolster its leadership and ownership team as part of its future-focused growth strategy.

A promotion at Kain Lawyers

Sam Christie has been promoted to director at Kain Lawyers.

Sam Christie

Christie joined Kain Lawyers as associate director in September 2020 and before this, he worked at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, where he was a senior associate and associate.

Kain Lawyers said Christie’s “skill set has been an invaluable asset to the firm with a strong background in advising on transactions, including public and private M&A and equity capital raisings”.

Kain Lawyers is a transaction specialist law firm founded in 2004, with offices on King William Street in Adelaide, as well as in Sydney.