Board of Management

Stephen is the Presiding Member of the Board. He has served South Australia through numerous roles with local and state government.

He has previously served as the Deputy Chancellor of Flinders University, headed a number of economic development, planning and environmental agencies within the South Australian government, and has chaired the following statutory boards: Stormwater Management Authority; Planning Commission; Advisory Committee on Planning, Native Vegetation Authority and Coast Protection Board. He has also served as the Deputy Chair of the Environment Protection Authority.

He has also been Chair of the Board of the Centennial Park Cemetery Authority and a Director of Bedford Industries. In January 2022, Stephen was honoured to receive the Order of Australia Medal for his service to local government, education and community.

Kimberley Willits is highly regarded within the South Australian urban development sector as an experienced senior property manager of commercial, industrial and retail assets.

She is currently employed as General Manager – State Representative of Charter Hall, a leading national property investment management company with more than $30 billion in funds under management. Kimberley is a current Divisional Councillor of the Property Council of South Australia.

Kimberley has a Bachelor of Business (Commercial Law) from the University of South Australia and a Diploma of Property Services (Agency Management) from the Real Estate Institute of South Australia.

Anne Skipper has more than 30 years of experience as a company director in the not-for-profit, government and private sector, both nationally and internationally and provides significant expertise in corporate governance to the Board.

She is a facilitator with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and attained Fellow status with the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 1995.

Anne is currently Chair of the Silver Chain Group and was formerly a Director of Plan International Board,  People’s Choice Credit Union and a former Commissioner of the Development Assessment Commission of SA.

Anne has had a career in both private and public commercial legal practice and brings with her a commercial perspective of risk, structure and governance. She is a current board member of Tourism Barossa Inc and Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design Inc. and brings her considerable regional knowledge to the Board in her capacity as Chief Executive Officer of Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains.

Anne has an honours degree in Law, a Masters Degree in International Business Law, a Diploma of Sustainable Living, a Grad Certificate of Social Sciences and is a GAIDC. Anne is an accredited mediator.

Her work with Thinker in Residence Prof. Laura Lee on an Integrated Design Strategy for South Australia has informed her interest in the work of Renewal SA and what is possible to achieve for the state.

David has served the Prospect community as the Mayor for City of Prospect for the past 16 years (2006-2022). He is the former President of the Australian Local Government Association and served on the Local Government Association of SA for 14 years.

He is also Chair of Local Government Association Procurement Pty Ltd and President of the Adelaide Chapter of the Art Deco and Modernism Society of Australia.

In parallel to serving in local government, he held executive positions in public and private sectors of the construction industry for over 27 years, including as Director Major Projects in Housing SA and Renewal SA. He brings experience in commercial and industrial construction, economic development, governance, and planning reforms.

Damien is the Chief Executive of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and has significant experience in strategic planning, industry development and public policy. He was formerly Director-General of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning in the Queensland Government.

In his various Director-General roles, he drove economic growth and job creation and successfully led Queensland’s delivery of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

His background also includes senior executive roles in the South Australian government in infrastructure planning delivery, investment facilitation, contract management and reform implementation.

Austin is an accomplished company director and has significant knowledge in governance and risk management. He is the Founder and Managing Partner for Meertens Chartered Accountants and is well versed in governance and risk management.

He holds Bachelor Degrees in Economics and Accounting and has an Honorary Doctorate from Flinders University. He is a board member with the South Australian Film Corporation and was formerly a member of the Flinders University Executive Committee and University Council.