When John Hender stepped into the CEO role at Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) in February 2025, he thought he might only be there for a few months.
‘I thought it might be about four months,’ John laughs. ‘But it ended up being 14 months. That just goes to show how hard it is to find the right person for these roles. KAC is a dynamic and complex organisation.’
John was asked to take up the job after former CEO David Whitelaw resigned.
While John had held leadership positions throughout much of his career and had a long-standing connection to KAC through his role on the Kokatha People’s Native Title General Trust, this was the first time he had taken on a CEO position.
‘I’d never had an actual CEO role before and I was quite keen to see how I’d go,’ he says.
Over the following 14 months, John helped guide KAC through a period of significant growth and change.
Among his proudest achievements were relocating the KAC Port Augusta office from Flinders Terrace to Railway Terrace, securing the Indigenous Ranger Grant through the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), establishing a new Adelaide office and witnessing KAC achieve the historic Oak Dam Retention Lease Agreement.
While there were many milestones along the way, the people who make up KAC are what John will remember most.
He loved spending time on Kokatha Country, visiting the stations, getting to know community members and connecting with Kokatha Elders.
John is also incredibly proud of the team of staff that has been built within the Corporation.
‘There was a bit of dysfunction amongst the staff when I first started, but once we got it up and running properly, I couldn’t have been prouder of them,’ he says. ‘Seventy per cent of our staff are Kokatha people and their professionalism and commitment continues to impress me. I’ve worked at publicly listed national and international companies and I can say that the calibre of our staff at KAC is of the highest level.’
One of the major pieces of work undertaken during John’s time as CEO was the development of KAC’s Strategic Plan, which provides a clear roadmap for the future of the Corporation.
As he hands over the reins to new CEO Jason Davison, John says he is excited about what lies ahead.
‘I’m thrilled about Jason’s appointment,’ he says. ‘The Board put a lot of effort into ensuring we were recruiting the right person for the job and Jason comes with excellent credentials.’
John believes KAC has a bright future, particularly as work continues towards securing a new Olympic Dam Agreement and Kokatha Mining Services goes from strength-to-strength.
‘KMS really is a shining light at the moment. They’re achieving so much with amazing staff. It’s impressive to see,’ he says.
As KAC enters its next chapter, John is also enjoying the opportunity to slow down a little.
‘After months of waking up at 5am, I’m really enjoying setting the alarm for 7am,’ he laughs.
These days he’s spending more time fishing, gardening, hunting, and enjoying the company of his grandchildren, wife and children.
Reflecting on his time as CEO, John says he is grateful for the opportunity he was given.
‘My main concern going in was that I wasn’t going to have the energy to do the job,’ he says. ‘But I actually found that it energised me. There was a lot of work to do, and it was constantly evolving, but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to work with such a highly professional, motivated and committed team.’
KAC Chairperson Nyani Thomas thanked John for stepping into the role when the Corporation needed him and for the leadership he provided.
‘John guided us through some really important structural changes and helped get the huge amount of work done to create a Strategic Plan for KAC,’ he says. ‘We’re so grateful for the leadership and integrity he brought to the CEO position, and we wish him all the best for the future.’
For now, John will be cheering KAC on as the organisation moves into its next chapter under Jason’s leadership.
‘I wish KAC all the best for the future and can’t wait to see what further achievements are made,’ he says. ‘It’s an exciting time ahead and I’m grateful to have played a small part in the Kokatha story.’