Disability Employment Australia appoints new Chief Executive Officer

Disability Employment Australia (DEA) is delighted to announce that Peter Bacon has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the organisation. An experienced senior leader specialising in strategic development, Peter succeeds Rick Kane who has worked with DEA for 15 years, including as CEO for the past eight years.

Disability Employment Australia is recognised internationally as Australia’s preeminent peak body representing, supporting, and resourcing disability employment policy, practices, and programs throughout Australia with a key focus on the Disability Employment Services (DES) program.

Peter will take on the CEO role on 20 February 2023.

Peter brings to DEA an impressive track record driving the development of major projects, most recently as the Head of Strategic Growth at Campbell Page. While working at Campbell Page, he managed major tenders, established social enterprise initiatives, and in his senior management capacity developed strategic directions for the organisation.

Peter started his career in the UK with Ingeus as an Employment Consultant, before moving into business development and strategy roles. This included managing bids for a large variety of government contracts.

Peter is a dynamic executive leader, who has achieved outstanding success in areas of business development and strategy, including disability specialist employment, labour hire and rehabilitation.

He steps into the role at a critically important time for disability employment and especially DES. As DEA CEO he will maintain our leadership in the development of the DES Quality Framework, deeply engage with disability and employer representative groups, support the NDIS review, and provide solution based ideas to improving Workforce Australia. Peter will work closely with members and government to evolve the DES program to best assist and support participants and improve employment outcomes for people with disability.

DEA Chairperson, Thérèse Campbell says, “Following a rigorous recruitment process, we are delighted to have appointed Peter Bacon as the new CEO of Disability Employment Australia. Peter is highly qualified and comes to us from the disability employment sector. Peter is an excellent choice to lead DEA’s responsibility to disability employment policy, practices, and programs.

“DEA’s work in 2023 will be crucial for continual improvement of disability employment. We look forward to Peter’s leadership at DEA, for our members and across the sector.”