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.
Sparc Hydrogen announces inaugural CEO
Alana Barlow has been appointed the inaugural CEO of Sparc Hydrogen after the company’s Roseworthy pilot plant progressed from commissioning to operational testing.
Barlow was previously the Queensland Government’s deputy director-general for hydrogen and future fuels.
“I’m delighted to join Sparc Hydrogen at this pivotal stage… with the Roseworthy pilot now operational and strong partnerships in place, my focus will be building on those foundations by demonstrating commercial viability and positioning Sparc Hydrogen to deliver next-generation hydrogen solutions,” she said.
Sparc Hydrogen is a collaboration between Sparc Technologies and the University of Adelaide to explore potential pathways in low-cost green hydrogen production.
Foundation Director of ADTA announced
Australian Defence Technologies Academy (ADTA) has appointed Dr Todd Mansell as its foundation director.
With 35 years of leadership experience across defence, national security, science, innovation and research sectors, Mansell will assist ADTA as it moves from planning and design to implementation.
His most recent role with the Australian Submarine Agency involved establishing Australia’s STEM workforce, engineering authority frameworks and national submarine research capability.
New Lutheran Care CEO announced
You might like
Executive general manager of disability and wellbeing at AnglicareSA, Ian Byrne, has been appointed as Lutheran Care’s new CEO, set to commence in January 2026.
Byrne has 25 years of executive leadership under his belt, in areas including aged care, health, disability and financial services.
“Ian is an authentic, values—driven leader whose commitment to people is unmistakable. He brings strategic capability combined with a grounded understanding of what it means to serve communities with dignity and respect,” Lutheran Care’s board chair Sylvia Andersons said.
“We are confident Ian will lead Lutheran Care with clarity and heart, honouring the path of our late CEO, Rohan Feegrade, while guiding Lutheran Care into its next chapter.”
“I’ve learned that people remember how leaders make them feel, rather than what you say, and that impact must be real and authentic. Keeping people at the centre of every decision is not a philosophy, it’s a responsibility,” said Byrne.
 |
|
Executive Manager Operations for the State’s premier cemetery, Centennial Park. In preparation for the impending retirement of long-serving executive, Mike Rusby, in early 2026, an exciting opportunity has emerged to oversee the full operational portfolio. This includes infrastructure and grounds maintenance, burial, cremation and memorialisation and oversight of the Park’s WHS management systems and practices. A key member of Executive Management Team, the Executive Manager Operations is critical in ensuring the ongoing environmental and commercial sustainability of the Park. The beautifully landscaped grounds span 40 hectares, including over 30 thoughtfully designed gardens and burial areas and three unique service spaces in their award-winning Jubilee Complex. Applications are encouraged from operations professionals with exposure to complex service delivery environments, natural resource management or environmental services. |
 |
SA energy company appoints new CEO
Having worked most recently as Whitebark Energy’s chief operating officer, Nik Sykiotis has been made its CEO, bringing 15 years of experience in upstream oil and gas with a variety of different operators both in Australia and overseas.
Whitebark Energy chairman Mark Lindh said that Sykiotis’ experience and understanding of the company will place it in a strong position as it embraces a cleaner energy transition towards natural hydrogen, helium and hydrocarbons.
“The Board is delighted to appoint Nik as CEO. He brings a strong operational background with proven leadership capability and is well-suited to lead the business through its next phase of growth,” Lindh said.
“We look forward to working closely with Nik as the Company continues to execute its strategy.”
Beresford Estate appoints new head winemaker
Two-time finalist for the Australian Women in Wine Awards, Natalie Cleghorn, has been appointed head winemaker of Beresford Estate.
Cleghorn will oversee all winemaking operations across the 70-acre vineyard in McLaren Vale, focusing on evolving style development and sustainability initiatives.
Stay informed, daily
“I am excited to join Beresford Estate and to lead its winemaking team through a new era of excellence,” Cleghorn said.
“The opportunity to craft wines that reflect not only the beauty of our vineyards, but also resonate with wine consumers from around the world, is very unique.”
Interim TAFE SA Chief Executive given three-year contract
Adam Kilvert has been appointed the chief executive of TAFE SA, having been acting role for an interim period since July this year.
His achievements as interim Chief Executive include increasing trades capacity, securing new funding for TAFE SA to deliver higher completion rates, supporting the new TAFE SA Act, and increasing engagement and course offerings across regional campuses.
Education, Training and Skills Minister Blair Boyer said he was “thrilled Adam will be taking on the role of Chief Executive.”
“He is a well-regarded high-performing executive in the public sector, and I have no doubt that his leadership will continue to drive the success of TAFE now and well into the future,” Boyer said.
Kilvert said “it has been a privilege to meet and work with our staff, students, employers and community leaders in recent months, and I look forward to strengthening these relationships and continuing this strong engagement into the future.”
HomeStart announces new chair and board member
Chancellor of Flinders University John Hood has recently commenced as chair of State Government-backed lender HomeStart.
Hood is also the co-founder and partner of accounting and advisory firm Humanee and has a background in accounting.
Meanwhile, Susan Crago was appointed to the board. She is Chief Governance and Risk Officer at the RAA, where she leads the legal, company secretary, risk and compliance teams.
HomeStart CEO Andrew Mills welcomed the new Board members and thanked the outgoing Chair.
“John and Susan have exceptional skills and commercial expertise, as well as strong alignment with HomeStart’s values and purpose,” Mills said.
Legal Services appoints new IT boss
Bringing over two decades of experience in the IT industry, Amanda Rolland has been appointed the director of information services at Legal Services.
Having worked in strategic and operational ICT roles, Rolland is experienced in security, service delivery, and leadership in ICT environments.
Legal Services CEO Annmarie Lumsden said Rolland’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the organisation.
“Amanda’s extensive experience in ICT leadership, risk management, and cyber security will be invaluable as we enhance our information services and deliver accessible, secure, and innovative solutions for the South Australian community,” she said.
