Board of Directors and Leadership Team

Carolyn Mitchell

Chair

LLB, GDLP, FAICD 

Carolyn has over 30 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer, and from 2001 to 2009, was Managing Partner of Cowell Clarke Commercial Lawyers. She now practises as a consultant with the firm, works as an executive coach both within the practice and for business owners and CEO's in Adelaide, and sits as a non-executive director on a number of Adelaide company boards. Carolyn has two teenage sons, and is an avid arts enthusiast and passionate Port Power supporter.

Alexandrea Cannon

Director

MBA, B. Bus, FAICD, FAHRI, FAMI

Alexandrea is an accomplished business executive with 30 years’ experience in the field of Human Resource Management. She has held several senior positions with some of Australia’s largest international blue-chip companies, including Coca-Cola Amatil and Lion Nathan, and is now consulting in both the private and public sectors. In addition to being a Director of Credit Union SA, Alexandrea is also a Director of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, the Leaders Institute of SA and Bizbuild.

Following the merger between Satisfac and Powerstate Credit Unions in 2009, Alexandrea became the inaugural Chair of Credit Union SA and held this position until late 2017, at which time, following consideration of best practice governance and Board renewal, she stepped down from the role. Alexandrea remains on the Board of the Credit Union and is currently the Chair of the Board’s Governance Committee.

Julie Cooper (nee Shearn)

Director

GD.Mgt, BA, GAICD

Julie is a former McKinsey & Company consultant with extensive international experience. Prior to joining McKinsey’s London office she held senior corporate and general management roles for BAE Systems PLC in Australia and the UK. She also worked in the banking and brewing sectors in South Australia. Julie is a Non Executive Director of the Nova Group (Nova Aerospace Pty Ltd), a technology-based professional service provider that is regularly acknowledged in Australia’s ‘most innovative companies’. She contributes to Board governance improvement as an active member of the AICD’s Tomorrow’s Director Committee.

Paul Dewsnap

Director

DipElecEng, MAICD

Paul is a Consulting Partner at a security, risk and governance advisory firm. He brings twenty-five years of executive leadership experience in financial services, professional services, biotechnology and defence, having spent the past sixteen years working with regional banks and credit unions in the areas of strategy, architecture, digital technology, risk management and cyber security. Before moving into financial services, Paul worked in the United States for several years delivering large-scale business technology initiatives spanning North America and Europe. He is a mentor at Business SA assisting young South Australians turn their business concept into a reality. Paul brings a wealth of ICT and digital experience to the Credit Union SA Board.

Kathryn Jordan

Director

B Soc Sci (Human Services), B Ed ECE, GAICD

Kathryn has an extensive background in service delivery, strategy, policy and performance in the Government sector with significant experience in education and child protection.

She has had leadership responsibility for the State’s early childhood education and care system, strategy and performance in the Department for Education and the implementation of the Nyland Royal Commission into the child protection system. She has past appointments to the Teachers Registration Board and the Education Standards Board.

Kathryn brings to the Credit Union SA Board a wealth of knowledge and experience in community service delivery, strategic planning, legislative and regulatory reform, policy redesign and performance accountability. She is motivated to apply her skills and experience to achieve positive outcomes for the South Australian community.

In 2019, Kathryn is a community ambassador for Catherine House, a South Australian service supporting women experiencing homelessness and is undertaking a professional certificate in coaching for wellbeing in work and life.

Nicolle Rantanen Reynolds

Director

MComLaw, MBA, FCPA, BCom (Acc) FAICD, FTIA, CSM

Nicolle is an experienced Non-Executive Director of public unlisted companies and various strategic boards that aim to increase asset size, employ growth strategies and achieve commercial outcomes. Nicolle is Chair of the State Procurement Board (SA Government), Credit Union SA Board Member (Risk Committee Chair), The Grange Golf Club (Vice President) CPA SA/NT Councillor, and Australian Institute of Company Directors SA/NT Councillor.

Nicolle is the South Australian Public Trustee and manages over 185 staff with responsibilities including corporate strategy, financial management and investment of over $1.2billion. Prior to this she was the Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Treasury and Finance.

Nicolle is an experienced senior executive with a substantial record of success in all areas of commerce. She is a strong leader, with expertise in strategy, governance, risk management, business development and change management.

Nicolle has established business relationships and networks at a national level and is adept at influencing and negotiating mutually beneficial outcomes. She has developed strong relationships with members, employers, unions, industry associations and key service providers.

Philip Riquier

Director

MBA, B.Bus, FAICD, FSCPA 

Philip is an experienced ASX 100 Executive and professional Company Director, having previously worked as an Executive at Bendigo & Adelaide Bank Ltd (and previously at Adelaide Bank prior to the merger), and holds a number of Executive and Non-Executive directorships across a broad range of industries including property, aged care and superannuation.

Grant Strawbridge

Chief Executive Officer

BA (ACC), FCPA, FAICD, F Fin

Grant joined Credit Union SA as Chief Executive Officer in April 2012 and is responsible for all day-to-day company operations, including corporate strategy and direction.

With over 26 years’ experience in Executive and Senior Management roles within the mutual sector of the financial services industry within Australia, Grant’s expertise includes managing corporate strategic initiatives relating to mutual mergers, organisations transformation and design, large entity acquisitions, enterprise wide risk management programs and finance, technology and treasury management.

Grant is a Director of the Credit Union Pageant Company and Data Action Pty Ltd.

Ilya Karounos

Executive Manager Finance and Treasury

BCom, CPA

llya joined Credit Union SA in September 2013 and is currently Executive Manager Finance & Treasury.

Ilya is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Credit Union SA’s finance and treasury functions.

With over 18 years of experience in financial services as an accounting and finance professional, Ilya has experience in areas of financial and management accounting, financial risk management and information systems.

Tim Prowse

Executive Manager Distribution

MBA, BCom, GAICD

Tim joined Credit Union SA in August 2018 and is currently Executive Manager Distribution.

Tim is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Credit Union SA’s distribution including the Member Experience Centre, broker sales, mobile lenders and education and community relationships.

With over 30 years commercial experience in Australia, the USA and Germany, including over 23 years in financial and professional services, Tim has extensive experience in the areas of customer service, strategy development and implementation, change management, performance improvement, stakeholder management, internal and external communication, corporate governance and management of finances and resources.

Chris Ryan

Executive Manager Credit and Risk

BA (Acc)

Chris commenced with Credit Union SA in April 2013, and is currently Executive Manager Credit and Risk.

Chris is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Credit Union SA’s lending operations, and both the member administration and credit impairment functions, risk and governance, internal audit and fraud.

With over 26 years of senior management experience within the Australian financial services and mutual sectors, Chris has had extensive exposure to operational and credit risk management across both the managed fund and retail financial services industries in addition to organisation wide re-engineering programs.