New Chair, Directors Appointed to Windmill Theatre Board

South Australian Minister for the Arts Jack Snelling today announced the appointment of a new chairperson and four board members to the Windmill Theatre Board.

Bruce Speirs has been appointed Chair following the departure of Ginger Fitzpatrick, who has come to the end of her eight-year tenure. Mr Speirs is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years' experience in roles in Australia and overseas, and is currently employed by the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group, where he holds several finance roles including that as Chief Financial Officer of Rural Bank.

The Windmill board will also welcome four new members - CEO of the South Australian Tourism Commission Rodney Harrex, Director of Production Investment at Screenwest Adam Smith, Director of Rosey Batt & Associates Rosey Batt and Head of Acting, Drama Centre Flinders University Rosalba Clemente.

Minister Snelling remarked, 'Bruce brings extensive commercial expertise to the Windmill Board that will help position and consolidate the company in meeting future opportunities in South Australia and beyond. He is joined by a formidable team of industry leaders who bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise in law, governance, film, tourism and theatre.'

Mr Speirs added, 'Windmill has developed a fantastic reputation as one of the country's pre-eminent theatre companies for children, youth and family audiences. With its first feature film to be released later this year and the continuing demand for its works internationally, it is an exciting time to be given the opportunity to work with the existing and newly appointed Directors, along with the talented team at Windmill to build on the company's success, in my new role.'

'I would also like to welcome the new Directors appointed to the Board today, who bring with them a range of artistic and commercial experiences which I am confident will add tremendous value to Windmill,' Mr Speirs added.

The new Windmill Board consists of:

• Bruce Speirs Chief Financial Officer, Rural Bank
• Rodney Harrex CEO, South Australian Tourism Commission
• Rosey Batt Director, Rosey Batt & Associates
• Adam Smith Director of Production Investment, Screenwest
• Rosalba Clemente Head of Acting, Drama Centre Flinders University
• Jane Thompson Communications Consultant, Yellow Wig Communications
• Helen Wildash

Following the announcement, Mr Speirs acknowledged outgoing Chair, Ginger Fitzpatrick, remarking that 'Ginger was instrumental in leading the Board over the last eight years and whose passion for the arts and commitment to the development of high quality work for Windmill audiences was unwavering.'

Renowned Adelaide-based national performing arts company Windmill Theatre has enjoyed a remarkable period of growth and success in recent years, marked by a string of accolades including four national Helpmann Awards, two Business SA Export Awards, two SA Ruby Awards for Best Work and the 2012 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award for Excellence - the first such awarded to a youth theatre company in Australia.

Following its return from a sell-out season of Pinocchio in New York in March, Windmill is now in early negotiations for an American tour of its two newest works, Big Bad Wolf and Grug and the Rainbow, in 2016 and 2017, and is also working on a new family musical with State Theatre Company of SA to premiere next year. It will release its full-length feature film Girl Asleep at the 2015 Adelaide Film Festival.

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