Darlene Perks

Darlene Perks Email and Phone Number

Non Executive Director, Chair of the Risk Committee @ Phoenix Health Fund
Newcastle, NSW, AU
Darlene Perks's Location
Greater Newcastle Area, Australia
About Darlene Perks

Delivering a strategy that drives turnaround and transformation takes more than an understanding of financials. To achieve long-term returns in complex regulated environments, an organisation needs its people to commit. A Fellow of CPA Australia, it’s one of my values to focus on the human connection, shape governance and improve strategies without losing sight of big-picture performance and growth objectives.Cultivating commitment means bringing a team on a journey motivated by the desire to make a difference and meet a broader societal need. This robust, strategic, and values-driven foundation allows an organisation and its people to do and be better, to champion continuous improvement, innovate, and adapt to enterprise change.With a contemporary and realistic mindset and a deep understanding of financial levers and risk parameters, I have a knack for seeing value and opportunity. With a pragmatic viewpoint, I leverage my commercial expertise and C-Suite experience to establish business intelligence. Naturally curious, I approach challenges with inquiry, which, together with data and foresight, paves the way for a balanced strategy that embraces risk, drives meaningful change, and uplifts diverse perspectives.I believe everyone should have the opportunity to share their voice and thrive. As a board member and leader, I encourage inclusivity and maintain operational empathy, always seeing the human being and not the human doing.Part of this process is understanding stakeholders' needs, standing in their shoes, and tangibly feeling their wants and needs. Then, I make the complex simple and achievable with technology, governance frameworks, roadmaps, improved audit functions, budget oversight, fiscal responsibility, and annual reporting.I give my work my all, as I don’t believe in being a passenger. That’s why I’ve invested in continued education and professional development, including a Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance at the Governance Institute of Australia.Exercise and movement balance my professional dedication. I love being near water, and gazing at the horizon levels me. In a past life, I competed in water skiing, but now, I use the water to re-energise and reset.If you believe in the power of commitment to achieve change, let’s connect.

Darlene Perks's Current Company Details
Phoenix Health Fund

Phoenix Health Fund

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Non Executive Director, Chair of the Risk Committee
Newcastle, NSW, AU
Employees:
25
Darlene Perks Work Experience Details
  • Phoenix Health Fund
    Non Executive Director, Chair Of The Risk Committee
    Phoenix Health Fund
    Newcastle, Nsw, Au
  • Home In Place
    Non Executive Director
    Home In Place Nov 2024 - Present
    With more than 7500 properties under management, Home in Place is one of the largest and most experienced housing charities in the Asia Pacific.With housing stress at an all-time high, and homelessness impacting a growing number of people and communities, this NED role is meaningful to me. It's an opportunity to use my strategic mindset, my skill at finding value, and my passion for equality to make a real difference. While I have a background in governance and finance and am pleased to be on the Finance, Risk, and Audit Committee (FRAC), I'm also excited about using my vast operations experience on the Australian Operations Committee.From a values perspective, I’m a big believer in human connection—when we unite, cultivate accountability, and journey toward a shared goal, great things can happen. I’m pleased to be playing my part in seeing that Home in Place achieves its mission and builds a better, more equitable future.
  • Phoenix Health Fund
    Non Executive Director, Chair Of The Risk Committee
    Phoenix Health Fund Nov 2023 - Present
    Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
    Member of the Risk Committee Nov 2023 - Nov 2024Chair of the Risk Committee from Nov 2024Phoenix Health is a not-for-profit health fund, proudly offering Private Health Insurance membership to all members. Operating in a competitive industry of Health Insurance, Phoenix's Mission – We’re for Members, not for Profits. Providing Members access to a range of affordable, high quality health insurance cover.
  • Mentor Walks
    Mentor
    Mentor Walks Sep 2023 - Present
    Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
    I am a Mentor at Mentor Walks - A program which connects senior women from diverse backgrounds - giving every woman the opportunity to walk, talk, and be supported through mentoring.
  • Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation
    Chief Executive Officer
    Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation Jan 2017 - Present
    Newcastle, Australia
    Coal LSL is a long-service leave scheme dating back to 1949, designed to improve the well-being of workers, their families, and their communities. As CEO, I shape and drive the innovative four-year organisational transformation strategy involving service digitisation, the strengthening of governance frameworks, regulatory behaviours, and data analytics. Committed to enhancing effectiveness and delivering superior client outcomes I actively support the digital transformation and innovation program. With an eye on bolstering regulatory practice we have developed the data insight advancement strategy and I continue to ensure all governance activities adhere to obligations set out by governing acts while meeting stakeholder expectations. I influence social policy with a significant legislative reform agenda and am the key contact with the Responsible Minister and the Federal Government department. I fortified governance during two major restructures and led the workforce through significant enterprise change and growth. In building a high-performance executive leadership team I continue to foster an inclusive and diverse company culture.With steadfast commitment to our evolving ESG position, I provide oversight of the investment teams’ performance - who manage a portfolio of more than $2B funds, with assets structured to deliver long-term performance return objectives.
  • Coal Lsl
    Bod, Arcc, Investments, Nom And Regulation Sub-Committees
    Coal Lsl Sep 2014 - Present
    Working closely with the Board of Directors, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, Investments, Nomination and Remuneration sub-committee, I bring a deep strategic understanding of governance obligations to meetings, as well as a contemporary and objective-focused approach to regulatory controls.I enjoy a close connection with the Chair and am skilled at educating and aligning stakeholders, national employer groups, and union bodies on challenges, trends, strategic plans, and government policy reform. Additionally, with oversight of all reporting for the public financial corporation, I am the responsible officer accountable to the Board and Minister. I enjoy building strong relationships and am comfortable in influencing to inform legislative reform.
  • Coal Lsl
    Operations Manager
    Coal Lsl Sep 2014 - Dec 2016
    Newcastle, Australia
    As Operations Manager, I led a strategic assessment on the organisation’s future operational model. Using this information, the Board decided to insource operations, which had been outsourced since 1992 to Mine Wealth and Wellbeing Services Pty Ltd (AusCoal).I reduced risk and promoted technology by scoping a new administration platform and CRM solutions and managed a data integrity project. This involved examining over 100,000 employee records and building a data governance framework and maturity roadmap. I also compiled the Annual Report, drove internal and external audit processes, and provided oversight on governance, ensuring the company adhered to obligations and reporting timeframes.
  • Mercy Services
    Non Executive Director, Member Of Finance And Audit Committee
    Mercy Services Jul 2018 - Jun 2022
    Newcastle, Australia
    Mercy is a values-led healthcare provider of community, residential, and in-home support for older people, people affected by drug and alcohol abuse, and people with disabilities. Mercy approached me, and as a Non-Executive Director and Member of the Finance and Audit Committee, we drove a strategy review of the residential facilities, addressing the long-term financial sustainability. As someone who is passionate about serving something bigger than myself, I balanced financial viability with benefits to people and communities.I bought financial risk, opportunity, and governance to the table, defining and shaping risk appetite, examining business cases, and identifying strategic opportunities to improve the balance sheet. I played a key role in shaping the strategy that led to a diversified investment portfolio to protect and instigate growth.
  • Golder Associates
    Nsw Group Manager Mining Services
    Golder Associates Nov 2012 - Sep 2014
    Newcastle, Australia
    As the NSW Group Manager Mining Services, I collaborated with UK and US leaders to develop a strategic global plan with a planned return of more than $100M in revenue. In Australia, I was the first female manager of a technical team and, globally, the first mining manager without technical mining expertise.In addition to working on a Global Project, I advocated for a people-first approach and restructured the mining team, which drove cost reductions and growth into new areas. Thanks to this initiative, the mining team secured sustainable profit throughout the two-year global mining downturn.I also established a Data Services team to undertake roof monitoring of underground mines and implemented the acquisition of the Strata Engineering business. This involved cultural integration, systems migrations, and client contracts and relationships management.
  • Golder
    Commercial Manager
    Golder Oct 2011 - Nov 2012
    As Commercial Manager and CFO, I led the sale and broker process as Golder Associates acquired 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚) 𝐏𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐭𝐝 in 2012. I shaped the sale and negotiation strategy, holding my line, and leaning into the tough but necessary conversations. During this period, I drove contract and client negotiations and rate agreements, leading the team and managing the day-to-day business. I also determined the overarching business strategy that delivered on revenue and profit targets.
  • Kip Mcgrath Education Centres Limited
    Chief Financial Officer And Company Secretary
    Kip Mcgrath Education Centres Limited 2008 - Nov 2011
    Kip McGrath Education Centres Limited Group (ASX:KME) is an ASX company with a market cap of over $20M and more than 600 franchisees. I managed ASX continuous disclosure, strengthening relationships with ASX advisors and ensuring all obligations were met. In addition, I established a robust corporate governance framework and developed an innovative financial structure that, along with ASX reporting and investor briefings, built market confidence. Committed to continuous improvement, I played a key role in costing the change to the revenue model and we renegotiated franchisee contracts, transitioning from a fixed fee to a percentage of revenue fee.In addition, I paved the way for innovation by supporting a strategy refresh and capital investment program. With the vision being to establish a new global online platform. I performed modelling, mapped the revenue structure, and extracted maximum value from the change and implementation.
  • Enigma Communication
    Business Manager
    Enigma Communication 2004 - 2008
    As Business Manager and CFO, I aligned business goals, established a driven company culture that excelled, managed people, and in a wonderfully creative environment became a voice of calm, restraint and reason. I united over 40 full-time employees who joined Enigma’s team of 30 following the acquisition of several businesses. I developed systems and processes and streamlined client interactions, providing greater visibility over what mattered most. In managing change I recognised the need to enable flexible working arrangements to retain talent. Always people-focused, I was a champion for flexible work - which was unheard of at the time.
  • Southern Cross Austereo
    Financial Controller For Radio Newcastle
    Southern Cross Austereo 2000 - 2004
    Southern Cross Austereo is Australia’s largest radio broadcaster. At Radio Newcastle, in partnership with the Sales Director, I reduced revenue leakage through improved forecasting and business planning – focusing sales efforts where they were most needed to drive revenue and lift profitability. With oversight of contracts, together we established KPI’s and new commission structures. I learnt as much as I could during this role before seeking an opportunity to delve deeper into broader business management.
  • Steel Tank & Pipe
    National Accounting Manager
    Steel Tank & Pipe 1999 - 2000
    Within a short time of starting at Steel Tank & Pipe the company went into administration. Experiencing first-hand a wide range of leadership styles was a tremendous lesson. As National Accounting Manager, I advocated as much as I could for people and profit, for making evidenced-backed decisions, and for doing what’s right.
  • Bradken
    Management Accountant
    Bradken 1994 - 1999
    I was Mining Management Accountant in the ESCO division. I helped manage company investments, oversaw budget planning and financial decision-making for the seven branches across Australia, ensuring branch profitability and monthly, quarterly and annual reports for the entity. This included cashflow analysis, oversight of accounts payable and receivable functions and monthly profit forecasting. I was also involved in foreign currency conversion and supported the R&D team

Darlene Perks Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about Darlene Perks

What company does Darlene Perks work for?

Darlene Perks works for Phoenix Health Fund

What is Darlene Perks's role at the current company?

Darlene Perks's current role is Non Executive Director, Chair of the Risk Committee.

What schools did Darlene Perks attend?

Darlene Perks attended Australian Institute Of Company Directors, Cpa Australia, Governance Institute Of Australia, University Of Technology, Sydney.

Who are Darlene Perks's colleagues?

Darlene Perks's colleagues are Traci Hancock, Sue Ferguson, Kate Davies, Leonie Fox, Kristi Lei Maxwell, Liz Owens, Bruce Arnott.

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