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.
InDaily welcomes experienced journalist to the team as digital producer
Emily Griffiths has joined InDaily as a news producer, bringing a decade of experience in Adelaide media to the independent newsroom.
Griffiths has expertise as a digital reporter and news producer, as well as a homepage and off-platform editor.
She began her career in the media as a journalist at News Corp from 2011-2013, working across a range of platforms and mastheads, including the Messenger, adelaidenow.com.au, The Advertiser and Sunday Mail.
Griffiths then moved into public relations, holding roles at Cancer Council SA, the Royal Society for the Blind and the Australian Dental Association SA Branch.
She then moved back to News Corp Australia, where she has been a digital producer, homepage editor, digital reporter and off-platform editor since 2022.
“I am a passionate storyteller, with more than a decade of experience in Adelaide newsrooms,” said Griffiths.
“I look forward to sharing stories from across SA with a new audience at InDaily.”
Renewal SA CEO bids adieu
Chris Menz has stepped down from his role as CEO of Renewal SA after six years at its helm to pursue opportunities in the private sector.
Menz has 25 years of experience in property and development in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, with expertise in all aspects of origination, design, funding, delivery, construction and management across residential built form, residential land, industrial and commercial developments.
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Menz has been CEO of Renewal SA for the past five and a half years, where he provides strategic leadership, direction and management.
In the role, he also gives high-level advice to the planning minister and board on urban development opportunities in South Australia.
Before starting as CEO at Renewal SA, Menz spent more than five years in various roles at Commercial & General, including most recently as executive director of communities and health.
He was previously at Renewal SA from July 2011 to October 2014 as the project director for Bowden, as well as spending two years as the project director at Macquarie Group.
Menz will remain in his CEO role at Renewal SA until mid-September while the urban development agency looks for a replacement.
“Chris has led renewal SA through a period of strong growth and transformation, championing a culture of delivery, purpose and professionalism,” said Renewal SA.
“His legacy includes rebuilding our project and delivery pipeline, strengthening governance and forging meaningful partnerships with the private sector to unlock housing and economic opportunity across the state.”
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Chief Executive Officer for Skylight Mental Health, a community-based not-for-profit organisation delivering psychosocial support, education, and recovery-focused mental health services across SA. Working closely with a skills-based Board, the CEO will lead a specialist, values-driven team, driving strategic growth, operational excellence and sector impact. Executive Director (CEO) for Lutheran Education Australia, the national body for Lutheran schools and early childhood services across Australia. Championing Christ-centred, high-quality education for young Australians, this Adelaide-based senior leadership role offers a rare opportunity to shape educational excellence with faith at its core. People and Culture Manager for highly respected legal services firm, Mellor Olsson. This exciting opportunity is ideal for a generalist HR professional ready to lead strategic and operational initiatives in a positive, respectful, and collaborative environment. Reporting to the CEO, the role leads a small HR/admin team supporting 90 staff across four sites. |
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Former politician to chair Food South Australia
Former state Liberal politician Stephen Knoll has been appointed as chair of Food South Australia, where he has been a board member since November 2024.
Knoll is currently the executive chairman of Barossa Fine Foods and Mitani Group, managing director of Sympatheia Strategic Advisory, head of strategy at OpSys Australia and advisory board chair at The Yoghurt Shop, as well as a board member at Faith Lutheran College.
From 2014 until 2022, Knoll was the member for Schubert, which covers the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Plains.
Knoll served as the minister for transport, infrastructure, local government and planning under the Marshall Liberal government.
He was formerly the general manager and then CEO of Barossa Fine Foods.
Knoll thanked immediate past chair Ray Borda and said he is excited to be appointed to the new role.
“The food and beverage industry continues to be an engine room of the South Australian economy, from the farm, right through to highly value-added manufactured products,” said Knoll.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be involved in helping to steer and grow such an important sector.
“Given the current global trading environment, Food SA is a critical component in managing the pitfalls but also taking advantage of the opportunities that exist.”
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Binance appoints general manager for Australia and New Zealand
Flinders and University of Adelaide alumnus Matt Poblocki has been appointed general manager for Australia and New Zealand at global cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
Poblocki brings to the role more than two decades of experience in fintech, regulatory and commercial business strategy, having held senior executive roles at PayPal, Afterpay and eBay.
Poblocki joins Binance from Zapme, where he was chief commercial officer, and Matrix Advisory, where he was a partner. He is also the co-founder of the equity crowdfunding platform Swarmer.
Poblocki graduated with a law degree from the University of Adelaide in 1997 and completed his honours at Flinders University in 2002.
“I’m excited to help shape the next chapter of growth and innovation for digital assets in Australia and New Zealand, and energised by the opportunity to pair Binance’s global expertise with local momentum to build a trusted future for crypto in our region,” said Poblocki.
Moving up at WRP Legal
WRP Legal has announced a series of promotions across its firm, with Avery Truong elevated from associate to senior associate, Elma Li from lawyer to associate, Emily Burgess from lawyer to associate and Matthew Georgiadis from lawyer to associate.
Truong, who is part of WRP Legal’s commercial team, joined as a law clerk in March 2020.
Since then, she has worked her way up to law graduate, lawyer and associate prior to her most recent promotion.
Li joined WRP Legal as a lawyer in February 2023 and has expertise in intellectual property matters.
She has previous legal experience as a law clerk at Finlaysons, Ballinger Legal and Commercial & Legal, a legal secretary at Doconade Legal & Migration, and as an intern at the Supreme Court of South Australia and Shaw & Henderson.
Burgess joined WRP Legal as a law clerk in November 2021, moving her way up to law graduate and lawyer prior to her most recent appointment.
She has experience in tax, corporate and commercial law practice areas, and was previously a graduate associate at People + Culture Strategies in Sydney.
Georgiadis joined WRP Legal in May 2024 as a lawyer prior to his most recent promotion.
He has previous legal experience in various roles at Georgiadis Lawyers & Solicitors Adelaide, where he spent close to seven years.
“As we celebrate ten years of practice, it’s particularly rewarding to see the next generation of legal talent stepping into leadership roles within the firm,” said WRP Legal director Garry Winter.
“These promotions are a testament to the hard work and capability of our people. They also mark the continued growth and evolution of the firm.”
