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.
Senior appointments at SA Country Fire Service
SA Country Fire Service (CFS) has announced the appointment of two new senior leadership positions.
Brenton Hastie has been announced as executive director of statewide operations.
Hastie previously served as acting deputy chief officer, acting executive director of operations, director of strategic operations and regional commander.
He also has been a CFS volunteer in Compton, Hahndorf, Echunga and Naracoorte since he was 15, as well as with the CFA in Victoria.
“I have a keen interest in ensuring that my areas are supporting the needs of our regions, their volunteers and the communities they protect,” Hastie said.
“I want to enhance communications, create efficiencies, and deliver once-in-a-generation projects that improve our critical volunteer response to incidents.”
Chris Howie has been appointed as CFS’s executive director of frontline operations, which follows his time at SA Ambulance Service, where he was operations manager of operations support executive.
Howie is a long-standing CFS volunteer and has more than 30 years of experience in emergency services.
He previously served as the SAAS Covid-19 incident commander and managed the relocation of patients to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.
“I am looking forward to facilitating the reintegration of the Learning and Development teams with our regional operations to ensure our volunteers are receiving training consistent with best practice across the sector,” Howie said.
“I am also excited to be working with an amazing staff cohort who are all committed to supporting the direction of the CFS.”
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New faces on History Trust’s board of trustees
The History Trust of South Australia has announced the appointment of Serafina Maiorano, Chris Kelly and Dr Lainie Anderson as trustees to its board, replacing Dr Eva Balan-Vnuk, Dr Vesna Drapač and professor emeritus Alan Reid AM.
The History Trust said Maiorano brings more than 25 years of global experience in governance, cultural inclusion and cross-sector leadership, including as a director, strategic advisor and CEO.
She is also a passionate advocate for storytelling, and for preserving and amplifying diverse cultural and First Nations narratives.
Maiorano is the founder and principal consultant at Our Global Table, as well as a board director at Tingari-Silverton Foundation and a senior industry fellow at RMIT University’s FORWARD Centre for Future Skills and Workforce Transformation.
Previous roles include executive officer for Mondiale Impact, senior advisor of Purpose PBC, global CEO of Advance Global Australians and general manager at EFI International.
The History Trust said Kelly will offer valuable legal expertise as a trustee to its board.
Kelly is currently a partner and notary at Thomson Geer, where he specialises in property and commercial transactions.
He is also a member of the Property Council of Australia’s South Australian Division Council and a sessional teacher and guest lecturer at the University of Adelaide.
Kelly said he has a passion for history, which he sees as a way to understand the modern world and to learn how to create a better future.
Anderson is a writer and historian whose 35-year career spans journalism, public relations and historical fiction.
She has written for The Times in London and Melbourne’s Herald Sun, as well as spending 17 years as a columnist for the Sunday Mail.
Anderson completed a PhD at the University of South Australia in 2024 on the state’s first policewoman, Kate Cocks, whose life inspired a mystery series she wrote.
She is also vice-president of the History Council of South Australia, a member of the SA Regional Selection Committee for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and in 2023, she was named Emerging Historian of the Year by the History Council of South Australia.
Michael Neale, who is chair of the board of trustees, said he is “delighted” to welcome Anderson, Kelly and Maiorano.
“Each brings a wealth of experience in their respective fields, and I am confident their skills will significantly shape the future of the History Trust of South Australia,” he said.
“I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr Eva Balan-Vnuk, Dr Vesna Drapač and Professor Emeritus Alan Reid AM for their years of dedicated service.
“Their contribution has been invaluable in guiding the Trust and supporting its vision over their years of service.”
Maiorano and Kelly will start their roles on October 27, while Anderson will begin on November 17.
Jumping on board at Defence Teaming Centre
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The Defence Teaming Centre (DTC) has welcomed Andy Semmler, Emilio De Stefano and Tony Kyriacou to its board as the member-based association continues to implement its 2025-28 strategy.
Semmler brings more than 30 years of experience as an industry and supply chain leader.
He has worked in the defence prime environment across platforms in sea, land and air domains, as well as in manufacturing.
Semmler is currently head of industry development and engagement for SSN AUKUS submarines at Australian submarine builder and sustainer, ASC Pty Ltd.
De Stefano is currently the CEO and managing director of defence-focused management and security consultancy De Stefano & Co, which was named the 2025 winner of the defence industry’s Cyber Business of the Year award.
According to DTC, De Stefano and Co assists organisations in navigating Australia’s complex defence industry environment through targeted market-entry advice, cyber maturity uplift, and DISP membership attainment and compliance support.
Kyriacou is currently the defence partnerships director at Flinders University, where he leads the university’s engagement with the defence.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the defence industry, having previously worked in senior business development and workforce development roles at Defence SA.
Duncan Milne, Peter Richings and Wendy Smith have been reappointed to the board, while Thomas Tizard and Naomi Smith have retired from their positions.
“The addition of Andy Semmler, Emilio De Stefano and Tony Kyriacou strengthens our ability to deliver on our five core priorities,” said DTC chair Mike Hartas.
“We are committed to strengthening connections across Australia and with global partners to support AUKUS and international initiatives, while growing a robust and balanced mid-tier sector to foster innovation and competition.
“Andy, Emilio and Tony can add significant value to these efforts through their experience, capability and networks.”
Passing on the reins at RAA Bay to Birdwood
David O’Loughlin GAICD has been appointed as chair of the RAA Bay to Birdwood, taking the reins from long-term chair Michael Neale.
Newly appointed chair O’Loughlin was the longtime mayor of the City of Prospect, having led the council from 2006 until 2022.
He has more than 30 years of experience in project and executive management across the private and public development sectors, and 18 years in leadership roles in local government.
He is currently chair of the Art Deco and Modernism Society of Australia and long-time president of its Adelaide chapter, as well as a member of the History Trust’s board of trustees, which puts on the RAA Bay to Birdwood every year.
He is also a member of the State Planning Commission of SA, chair of The Cottage Homes Inc, a board member of Renewal SA and an advisory board member UniSA Architecture Museum.
Neale was appointed as chair of the Bay to Birdwood (now known as the RAA Bay to Birdwood) in 2016 and is the founder and managing director of strategic marketing consultancy Literally Brilliant Pty Ltd.
Neale is also chair of the board of trustees at the History Trust of South Australia and a visiting fellow of the Adelaide Business School.
“I will always love the RAA Bay to Birdwood – an absolute icon in the South Australian cultural calendar and one of the world’s great historic motoring events,” said Neale.
The 2025 RAA Bay to Birdwood took place on Sunday and saw record crowds of more than 105,000 people line the streets as 1500 historic cars made their way from Barratt Reserve in West Beach to the National Motor Museum in Birdwood.
