Maggie Beer Holdings CFO resigns

Craig Louttit has resigned as chief financial officer of Maggie Beer Holdings, a role he started in August 2023.

Craig Louttit

Penny Diamantakiou will take over from Louttit as chief financial officer and chief operating officer.

Maggie Beer Holdings said Diamantakiou “is an experienced CFO who has held senior roles in large multinational and high growth businesses across ASX listed companies” and “has had a distinguished career spanning more than 20 years as a business executive with a passion for digital, media and technology businesses”.

Penny Diamantakiou

Diamantakiou was most recently CFO specialist of professional services at Current Future and before this, she also held leadership roles at Nearmap Ltd, Optus, Yahoo7 and WooliesX.

The announcement comes after InDaily reported on Friday that Maggie Beer Holdings is looking to sell its dairy business, Paris Creek Holdings after a $28.2 million loss in FY24.

Adelaide resident takes up leadership role at NAB

Rogan McMahon

Rogan McMahon has joined as head of operational compliance at National Australia Bank and will be based in Adelaide.

McMahon was previously head of operational compliance and employee pay experience with Bupa Asia Pacific.

McMahon said he has 15 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary teams across workplace relations, employment law, payroll and compliance.

“I am very pleased to be able to perform a national role for one of the ‘big 4’, while still living in Adelaide with my partner Jen and baby girl Evelyn,” McMahon said.

Board renewal at Local Health Networks

Elaine Ashworth

Health Minister Chris Picton has announced the appointment of three new chairs at the state’s Local Health Network (LHN) Boards.

The boards were established under the Marshall Government “to ensure that decisions about our health service planning and delivery were made locally, rather than from Adelaide”.

Dr Andrew Saies

Ros McRae has been appointed as chair for Flinders and Upper North, Dr Andrew Saies for Limestone Coast and Elaine Ashworth for Riverland Mallee Coorong (RMCLHN).

McRae has over three decades of health management experience and was previously CEO of LHN before joining the board in 2023.

Ros McRae

Saies is a practising shoulder, hand and upper limb extremity specialist in the Limestone Coast.

Ashworth is a physiotherapist and health service manager across regional South Australia and has served on the RMCLHM when it was established in 2019.

In addition, Robin Valentine, Parry Agius, Kerry Rowlands, Dr Mellissa Naidoo, Byron Gregory, Helen Tedesco and Irene Watson will all join various LHN boards, while Andrew Culley has been appointed as deputy board chair of the Northern Adelaide LHN board.

Pru Blackwell, Suzy Graham, Geri Malone, Dr Andrew Saies, Mary Patetsos, Dr Peter Joyner OAM, Claudia Goldsmith, Melanie Ottaway, Dr Tony Sherbon, Sandra Miller and Brenda Wilson AM have all been reappointed to LHN boards.

A volunteer Chair position for the trustee of The Morialta Charitable Trust Fund – a very worthy entity responsible for the stewardship and growth of invested funds which are distributed annually to grant applicants for works and programs relating to disadvantaged youth in South Australia. Professional skills in investment strategy, legal, governance or philanthropy are encouraged. Previous Chair experience highly regarded but not essential.

Chief Financial Officer for HAMB Systems Limited, an Australian company owned by 15 private health insurance funds across Australia representing 25 brands. With head office in Adelaide, reporting to the CEO and working closely with the Board, this newly created role is a critical member of the leadership team supporting the strategic direction of HAMBS.

Head of Music and Performing Arts for St Andrew’s School, a prominent International Baccalaureate World School and Adelaide’s leading co-ed, independent early years and primary school.  A truly unique opportunity to impact young people’s musical journeys in one of the defining music education roles in Australia.

Two key roles in Sport, Recreation and Events for one of SA’s largest and most progressive councils, the City of Salisbury. The Team Leader – Sport, Recreation and Events leads a small team in creating vibrant and engaging open spaces, facilitating strategic investment in sport and recreation facilities and delivering vibrant events. The Senior Recreation Planner will develop and deliver innovative recreation planning outcomes in open space, arts, cultural and civic precincts to enhance community well-being.

Air Force veteran joins Defence SA

Glen Gallagher has joined Defence SA as director of Advanced Systems, to commence on September 9.

Glen Gallagher

Gallagher spent almost 29 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, where he was most recently deputy air base executive officer.

For the past five years, Gallagher held various roles at Boeing, including operations manager.

Defence SA said Gallagher is a highly qualified systems engineer and “will be responsible for developing strategies to grow opportunities for South Australian industry to support projects related to AUKUS Pillar II and battlespace awareness”.

Flinders Uni alumnus to lead research at Wine Australia

Dr Paul Smith has been appointed general manager of research and innovation at Wine Australia, where he was previously senior research and innovation program manager.

Dr Paul Smith

Wine Australia said that in his role, Smith “will have oversight of co-investment of industry and Commonwealth funding into research, development and adoption activities to benefit Australia’s grape growers and winemakers”.

Smith has a PhD in organic chemistry from Flinders University and before joining Wine Australia, he completed post-doctoral research at CSIRO Molecular Science and Flinders University’s Department of Clinical Pharmacology.

City of Adelaide picks permanent COO

Anthony Spartalis has been appointed the City of Adelaide’s permanent chief operating officer, effective immediately.

Anthony Spartalis

Spartalis has been acting chief operating officer at the City of Adelaide for the past nine months, as well as manager of finance and procurement since December 2022.

The City of Adelaide said Spartalis “came to Council with a wealth of experience in senior and executive financial management roles”.

The former professional tennis player was previously chief financial officer at the City of Onkaparinga and finance director at the City of Playford.

He has also held senior roles with Lend Lease Communities, Urbex and Urban Pacific/Macquarie Bank.

Leadership change at Beach Energy 

Beach Energy has announced the resignation of Susan Jones as EVP ESG & legal and joint company secretary, with Christian Paech taking over joint company secretary and EVP legal & corporate affairs from August 28.

Susan Jones

Beach Energy said that Paech has over 25 years of experience as a lawyer and is a highly regarded advisor in corporate and commercial law, governance and risk management, environment and sustainability and corporate transactions.

Before joining Beach Energy, he was non-executive director at Lawguard Management Pty Ptd.

Christian Paech

He has also been non-executive director at Barton Gold and AXP Energy Limited, as well as general counsel and company secretary and general counsel at Santos Ltd.

Beach Energy said it is “an ASX listed, oil and natural gas, exploration and production company headquartered in Adelaide”.

Appointee brings new energy to 1414 Degrees

Dr Farzad Poursadegh has been appointed development manager of hydrogen at energy storage specialist 1414 Degrees.

Dr Farzad Poursadegh

1414 Degrees said that Poursadegh “will see the company fast-track development of a hydrogen reactor – integrated with its silicon-energy storage technology – to demonstrate affordable, continuous hydrogen production from low-cost renewable electricity”.

Before joining 1414 Degrees, Poursadegh was senior mechanical and energy systems/project manager at Parkside Energy Pty. Ltd.

He also led and managed projects at the University of Melbourne to develop low to zero-emission technologies in the energy sector.

Tech guru reappointed to AEDA board

Matt Poblocki has been reappointed to the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) board for an additional three years.

Matt Poblocki

Poblocki joined to AEDA board in June 2023 and is a member of the advisory committee for Credit Union SA, chief commercial officer at Zapme, co-founder of Swarmer and a partner at Matrix Advisory.

AEDA said Poblocki is “passionate about Adelaide’s tech ecosystem and supporting entrepreneurs looking to start or scale up their business ventures”.

Poblocki has held leadership roles at tech companies across Australia and Silicon Valley, including at Afterpay, eBay and Paypal.

AEDA is a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide focussed on “investment attraction, growing our visitor economy, residential growth and marketing the city”.

Jumping on board at Mercury Cinema

Christopher Annicchiarico

Mercury Cinema has appointed Christopher Annicchiarico and Sasha Close to its board of directors, while Michelle Hardy has joined as head of industry programs.

Annicchiaro is a director at WRP Legal & Advisory, where he has been for over nine years, while Close is president of the Natalie Miller Fellowship and has held leadership roles in the film industry over the past 25 years.

Sasha Close

Hardy is the co-founder of boutique production company Hardy White Pictures and has held production roles at the Australian Broadcasting Network and Seven Network Limited, among other roles.

The Mercury said Hardy “brings extensive local and international industry experience across film and television development and production, as well as substantial knowledge in creating and delivering a broad suite of industry programs for several industry bodies including Screen Producers Australia”.

Michelle Hardy

The Mercury is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year and said it “is a filmmaker-run, non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering and supporting the South Australian screen industry”.