Council appoints new Chief Executive Officer – Adele Young
Date published: 7 July 2016
Former senior South Australian public service executive leader Adele Young has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Townsville City Council.
A special meeting of the council approved Ms Young’s appointment today and she will commence her new role early in August.
Ms Young is a highly qualified executive with a strong public and private sector background and has proven expertise in organizational reform.
She was most recently the Executive Director for Productivity and Reform with the Office for the Public Sector, Department of Premier and Cabinet in South Australia, responsible for whole of government productivity improvements across the 100,000-strong SA public sector.
She was previously CEO of Clubs South Australia and worked for 18 years in the Northern Territory in a range of roles including Executive Director, Economic Development & Projects.
Ms Young’s career covers a wide range of economic development activities such as the $1Billion Darwin Waterfront project, the whole of government approach to the Territory 2030 plan, and chairing the Territory government’s red tape reduction taskforce and procurement reforms.
Mayor Cr Jenny Hill said Ms Young was selected from a competitive field of applicants following an extensive national search.
“Ms Young was able to demonstrate a capacity to lead organisations through significant change and deliver real improvements in productivity through innovation” Cr Hill said.
“The selection committee, including independent panel members, was particularly impressed with Ms Young’s understanding of local government and the pressures we face in delivering better services in tougher economic times, with reduced funding from state and federal governments.
“Ms Young grew up in regional Queensland and worked extensively in the Northern Territory.
She understands the challenges facing regional cities but has the national experience, knowledge and connections to ensure Townsville is able to capture new economic development opportunities.”
Ms Young said she was excited by the Council’s vision for Townsville.
“Councils such as Townsville’s play a hugely influential role in local economic and community development. It’s vital that we are lean, focused and fit for purpose” Ms Young said.
“My aim is to ensure that council staff are able to deliver the Council’s strong policy agenda by ensuring the organisation is financially strong and that our people are empowered to be innovative in how we deliver services to the community.
“Roads, rates and rubbish will always be a core of local government, but in tough times I believe that Council must take a more active leadership role in the community and work with peak bodies and business to create jobs and get the city moving,” Ms Young said.
