2018 Annual Economic Outlook Breakfast

Born in Kure, Japan, in 1953 and raised in Mount Gambier, Rob Lucas was elected to the Legislative Council in the South Australian Parliament in 1982. Rob was appointed the Minister for Education and Children's Services in 1993 and became the Treasurer in 1997. He was later also appointed the Minister for Industry and Trade and the Minister for Government Enterprises. During the term of the former Liberal Government (1993 to 2002) he also served as Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council. Rob is currently the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Treasurer, Minister responsible for the public sector and industrial relations.

Kim is a partner with PwC. His areas of expertise include cybersecurity, governance, risk management and internal audit. He is the former Managing Partner for Adelaide.
Kim has led PwC's Reconciliation efforts over the past 5 years. In that time, PwC and PwC Indigenous Consulting have achieved Elevate RAP status (one of only 19 businesses in Australia). Kim now co-chairs the National Reconciliation Governance Group.

He has been a leader in indigenous employment over many years and is an Ambassador to the Aboriginal Employment Industry Cluster Program in South Australia.
In 2020, Kim was recognised as a Distinguished Alumni by Flinders University for contribution to business in SA and to reconciliation.

Appointed on 1 July 2014, Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri works passionately towards creating a world-leading public sector that serves South Australians well, does what it says it will do, and to which every public servant is proud to belong.

With the role of the public sector being to serve and support South Australia to thrive, Erma leads sector-wide reform to modernise the public sector and continue to build on its value and service to the South Australian community.

Erma has worked for more than 30 years to help organisations optimise productivity and employee wellbeing. She was named a 2014 Telstra Business Woman of the Year as SA Winner of the Telstra Community and Government Award for her role in leading transformational change throughout the public sector.

With a key focus on flexibility, diversity and leadership development to ensure the public sector is positioned as an Employer of Choice, Erma continues to challenge cultural and structural barriers to drive innovative, collaborative and connected services for the community.

Richard Price was appointed Defence SA Chief Executive in October 2017, after joining the agency as Executive Director Defence and Industry in July 2016. During his time as Executive Director, he assisted in developing and delivering a program of activities aimed at sustainably growing the defence presence and the defence industry base of the state. Richard has worked within the defence and public safety sectors for over 25 years and has international industry experience in leadership, business development and engineering.
Prior to joining Defence SA, Richard led a Stockholm based business unit for Saab AB with operations in Sweden, Denmark, Australia, South Africa and the UK. The focus was the global market for communication and control room solutions.
Before moving to Sweden in 2013, Richard was Managing Director of Saab’s Australian operations which have a strong presence in South Australia supplying and sustaining combat system, training and civil security solutions. Richard is an engineering graduate of the University of Wales (BSc Hons, 1985) and a graduate of the Melbourne Business School Advanced Management Program (2006) and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2010).