Archives: Team members

BEcon (Hons)

Chief Executive Officer, Principal & Partner, SGS Economics & Planning

Julian Szafraniec is a spatial economist and the Chief Executive Officer of SGS Economics and Planning, an employee‑owned and certified B‑Corp consultancy dedicated to strengthening communities and local economies through evidence‑based public policy. With two decades of experience advising all tiers of government, not‑for‑profits and the broader for‑purpose sector, Julian brings deep expertise across housing, employment, transport, community infrastructure and regional economic development.

Julian is committed to data‑driven policy as a foundation for building resilient, efficient and sustainable places. His work focuses on harnessing emerging data, technology and spatial analytics to reveal how places function – and to guide long‑term planning that improves people’s lives. With extensive experience applying this approach across diverse sectors, he helps organisations understand the critical interplay between people, place and strategic investment. He also serves on the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network’s (AURIN) independent Industry Advisory Committee, contributing to national research infrastructure that advances data‑informed urban policy and planning.

HND (Geog)

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, HCF

Ms Thomas was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HCF in July 2025, bringing with her more than a decade of deep experience within the organisation. Having joined HCF in early 2015, she has held various roles, including Chief Officer, Product & Innovation, Chief Officer, Product & Diversified Business and Chief Operating Officer.

Ms Thomas has over 20 years of experience in innovative, customer-centric product delivery and business strategy. She has played a key role in driving organisational transformation, leading high-performing teams to achieve outstanding results, and improving member outcomes through innovation and service excellence. Responsible for Product Innovation, HCF Life and HCF’s International Business she has also led key Strategic initiatives supporting HCF’s 2025 Strategy. Ms Thomas serves as a Director of HCF Life, Flip Insurance Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of HCF life Insurance Company Ptd Ltd), and the Corporate Trustee of The HCF Research Foundation. Ms Thomas is also a Director of Private Healthcare Australia.

Administrator
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Communications and Marketing Manager
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M: 0403 440 832

Events Manager
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M: 0458 003 651

BA GAICD

Managing Director, Common Equity Housing Ltd (CEHL)

Liz is an experienced Board Director and CEO who has demonstrated her leadership across government, for profit and for purpose organisations and her own consulting practice.

In her most recent roles, Liz has followed a deep interest in developing innovative housing solutions, culminating in her appointment as Managing Director of Common Equity Housing Limited (CEHL) in 2021. Since then, Liz has driven a broad range of positive changes for CEHL’s 100 rental housing co-operatives and their members and has become a strong advocate for the national co-operative housing movement.

Liz currently chairs the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance (ACHA) and is Deputy Chair of Victoria’s Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA Vic).

BBus, MBA, GAICD, INSEAD Graduate

Managing Director and CEO, Newcastle Greater Mutual Group Ltd (NGM Group)

Bernadette Inglis is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Newcastle Greater Mutual Group Ltd (NGM Group). NGM Group is one of Australia’s largest customer-owned financial institutions, providing retail banking services to more than 600,000 customers under its brands Greater Bank and Newcastle Permanent. Bernadette has over 20 years’ executive leadership experience in financial services, including in retail banking, wealth management, insurance and core corporate functions at national and regional organisations. Bernadette is also an experienced Non-Executive Director, with a broad spectrum of Board appointments encompassing arts, education, infrastructure, supply chain and charitable foundations.

B.Comm, LLB (Hons), GradDipACG, GAICD (OM), FGIA, FCG, FAIM

CEO Automotive, Capricorn Society Ltd

Bradley is an experienced director, executive, governance and risk management professional. He has a demonstrated history of helping to drive innovation and transformation, designing effective strategy and inspiring others to perform at their best delivering superior results for ultimate member benefit. Bradley has a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law (with Honours). Bradley is a graduate from both the Australian Institute of Company Directors (Order of Merit) and Governance Institute of Australia (GIA). Bradley was the recipient of GIA’s Ian Falconer award for Top Graduating Student in August 2011. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School. Bradley’s current role is CEO Automotive of Capricorn Society Ltd, Australia and New Zealand’s largest automotive parts buying co-operative with over 29,000 Members and purchases exceeding over $3.73 billion. He has recently been appointed as Capricorn’s next Group CEO, a role he will take over from 1 January 2025. Bradley is also a Director of various Capricorn subsidiary companies, a State Councillor of the Governance Institute of Australia and Independent Director of Western Rock Lobster Inc.

BEc, BCom, FCA, FAICD, AMP [Harvard]

Chief Executive Officer, People First Bank (formerly Heritage & People’s Choice)

Steve has significant people leadership and executive management experience in the retail banking and finance industry.

Steve was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of People’s Choice Credit Union from 2016 until the merger with Heritage Bank in 2023 which formed People First Bank. Steve was appointed Deputy CEO following the merger and assumed the role of CEO in July 2024.

People First Bank is the largest mutual bank in Australia with approximately $25bn in assets, 750,000 members and 2,000 employees.

B.Bus, M.Bus, M.Sc Tech, FAIM

Group Chief Executive Officer, RAC

Robert (Rob) Slocombe is the Group CEO of RAC in Western Australia (RAC).  RAC started as a motoring club in 1905 and now also provides a range of diverse services to over 1 million Western Australians in the areas of insurance, motoring, finance, travel and tourism, retirement and home services.  RAC also remains a strong advocate for its members on key issues such as road safety, mobility, accessibility and environmental sustainability.

Rob joined the RAC in September 2014 as Chief Operating Officer and from March 2019 became the Group CEO responsible for all group and subsidiary activities.

Prior to joining the RAC, Rob spent 27 years in banking and financial services, primarily in retail banking, financial market trading and treasury roles.

Rob holds a certificate in Financial Markets, a Bachelor of Business degree, a Master of Business degree, a Master of Science and Technology degree and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Rob currently serves on the board of Royal Flying Doctor Service where he Chairs the Risk and Audit Committee, the Curtin Advisory Council – Faculty of Business and Law, Chair of the Australian Automobile Association and is a member of the FIA Senate.