Executive Leadership Transformation at WorkCover Queensland

The Challenge

WorkCover Queensland, one of the state’s most important statutory bodies, provides workers’ compensation insurance and plays a central role in supporting both employers and injured workers. The organisation was entering a period of significant transformation, requiring a bold new direction in leadership.

To deliver on its mandate and meet increasing expectations from government, customers, and the community, WorkCover recognised the need for a complete renewal of its executive leadership team. This included the appointment of a new CEO, along with a refreshed C-suite (Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief People Officer, and Chief Risk Officer) as well as the recruitment of the next tier of senior leadership talent.

The challenge was not only to attract outstanding individual executives but also to build a cohesive, high-performing leadership team capable of driving cultural, operational, and strategic transformation.

 

Our Approach

Luminary partnered with the Board and Chair of WorkCover Queensland to design and deliver a comprehensive, multi-role executive search program. Our approach included:

  • Running parallel search processes across domestic and international markets to secure the best available talent for each role.

  • Engaging with government, industry, and community stakeholders to understand leadership expectations and desired outcomes.

  • Assessing candidates not just on technical capability but on leadership style, values alignment, and the ability to work as a collective executive team.

  • Sequencing appointments to ensure stability, continuity, and integration as the new leadership team took shape.

 

The Outcome

Through this coordinated search program, Luminary successfully appointed the full executive team:

  • CEO – a visionary leader with a proven record of transformation and customer-centric service delivery.

  • COO, CFO, CHRO, CRO – all bringing deep expertise in their domains, complemented by cultural alignment and shared commitment to WorkCover’s mission.

  • Next tier of SLT appointments – ensuring leadership depth, succession, and the capability to deliver across operations, risk, people, and finance.

 

Impact

The result has been a total organisational leadership transformation. Under the new team’s stewardship:

  • Government objectives are being met with stronger alignment between strategy, policy, and service outcomes.

  • Stakeholders – including employers, unions, regulators, and industry partners – are experiencing renewed engagement and collaboration.

  • Customers (injured workers and employers) are benefiting from improved service models and faster, more consistent outcomes.

  • Staff culture has shifted towards innovation, accountability, and customer service excellence, energising the organisation at every level.

  • The Board now works with a unified and strategically aligned executive team, confident in the organisation’s ability to deliver long-term outcomes.

This recruitment program represents one of the most significant executive leadership transformations in Queensland’s statutory sector. By securing and integrating a new CEO, C-suite, and senior leaders, Luminary enabled WorkCover Queensland to build the leadership capacity required to transform its culture, service, and strategic impact.

 

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