On the Couch with Rodney Harrex

Rodney Harrex is the Chief Executive of the South Australian Tourism Commission, and responsible for marketing South Australia’s premium food and wine, unique wildlife experiences, destinations and sporting and cultural events and festivals to Australians, South Australians and the world.

Mr Harrex has spent more than 25 years in the tourism industry. Prior to his move to Adelaide in April 2013 Mr Harrex’s most recent position was Tourism Australia’s Regional General Manager, United Kingdom and Northern Europe. Some of his key achievements in this role included doubling Tourism Australia’s marketing investment through partnership activity, and being voted best Tourism Board in the UK three years running.

He has held extensive management positions in the fields of media relations, business development and international marketing, and worked in London, New York, Los Angeles, Auckland and Sydney.

Appointed Chief Executive of the SATC in April 2013, Mr Harrex has already seen Adelaide named one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities to visit in 2014, and the introduction of new direct international flights from Air Asia X and

Sandy is an accomplished public-sector leader, with experience leading agencies to make significant contributions to public policy and deliver outcomes that improve people’s lives.

As Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Human Services, Sandy is dedicated to promoting inclusion, independence, community support and modern services. Sandy is Chair of the Motor Accident Commission, a board member of the Institute of Public Administration SA and an active member of International Women’s Forum Australia.

Prior to this role, Sandy has served as Deputy Under Treasurer with the South Australian Department of Treasury and Finance and Deputy Chief Executive at the Department of Premier and Cabinet in South Australia and Victoria.

Sandy was the inaugural Secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Victoria, an agency which includes child protection, housing and homelessness, disability, family safety and women’s policy.
Throughout 2020 Sandy led the Victorian COVID-19 response, returning the state to COVID-19 zero.

Sandy first chief executive role was with the SA Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. She has held executive roles in the SA Department of the Premier and Cabinet, the UK’s Commission for Racial Equality, the South Australian Office for Women, the Commonwealth Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

In 2012, Sandy won the Telstra Businesswoman of the year ‘Community and Public Sector’ category, and in 2013 she was inducted as an IPAA National Fellow.

Educated at the University of Adelaide, and Mannum High School, Sandy has degrees in law and the humanities. She is kept busy at home by two children, and an energetic dog, Noodle the Labradoodle.