Adelaide Hills Council has announced the appointment of Roberto Bria to the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mr Bria will commence as Acting CEO on 7 September, and will remain in the role until the commencement of the substantive CEO.
The Council said the decision was made to provide strategic guidance and stability to the organisation for the continued delivery of high-quality services and infrastructure that the community expects.
“We are fortunate to have recruited an experienced CEO of Mr Bria’s calibre and I feel confident he will provide the steady leadership and guidance required whilst we recruit our substantive CEO,” said Mayor, Nathan Daniell.
“Bringing extensive local government experience, Mr Bria joins the organisation at a critical time with a focus on preparing our Long-Term Financial Plan and continued commitment to long-term financial sustainability.
“On behalf of the Elected Members, I would like to sincerely thank Jade Ballantine for stepping into the CEO role and leading the organisation through this period of change. We’re incredibly grateful for her support, clarity and continued focus on delivering positive outcomes for our community”.
Once Mr Bria has joined Council, Ms Ballantine will return to her substantive role as Director of Environment and Infrastructure, to lead the team through the delivery of key strategic priorities set out in our Annual Business Plan & Budget.
Mr Bria has previously had appointments as the CEO of Holdfast Bay, as well as holding numerous positions on council audit and risk committees.
“I look forward to joining Adelaide Hills Council and I’m committed to supporting the organisation through this transitional period in preparation for the appointment of Council’s substantive Chief Executive Officer,” Mr Bria said.
Council will soon commence the process of recruiting its substantive CEO following a resolution to adopt the Terms of Reference of the CEO Selection Panel at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Cr Gladigau and Cr Parkin have been appointed to the CEO selection panel, along with Mr Brian Carr as the independent member, and Phil Morton as the qualified independent person to undertake the recruitment process.
Recruitment is expected to take between three to six months to accommodate potential notice periods for the incoming CEO, however the aim is to have the substantive CEO in place well before caretaker period commences on 9 February 2027.
