Executive Team
Meet our Executive Team
Executive Team
James Fazzino - BEc(Hons)
Managing Director & CEO
Member of the Health, Safety, Environment and Community Committee
James was appointed Managing Director & CEO of the IPL Group on 29 July 2009. James was first appointed as a director on 18 July 2005, following his appointment as Chief Financial Officer in May 2003. Before joining the IPL Group, he had many years’ experience with Orica Limited in several business financial roles, including Investor Relations Manager, Chief Financial Officer for Orica Chemicals and Project Leader of Orica’s group restructure in 2001.
Since James joined the IPL Group, the company has undergone significant transformation growing from a fertiliser company operating in two States of Australia with a Market Capitalisation in the ASX 200 to a global diversified industrial chemicals business, which is the world’s second largest supplier of commercial explosives and Australia’s largest manufacturer and supplier of fertilisers, putting the company in the ASX 50.
James is also Chairman of the Advisory Board for La Trobe University's Business School and an Adjunct Professor of the La Trobe Business School.
Simon Atkinson BBus, CA
President, Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific & President Incitec Pivot Fertilisers
Simon joined the Company on its merger with Incitec Fertilisers Limited in 2003, having previously worked with Orica Limited (1999-2001) and Incitec Limited (2001-2003). He has extensive commercial finance experience, working as Commercial Finance Manager for the Australian fertilisers business (2003-2006) and as IPL's Deputy CFO and Investor Relations Manager (2006-2009). In 2010 Simon was appointed President of Dyno Nobel International (2010-2013) charged with the growth of the Dyno Nobel business outside the established North American and Asia Pacific regions. In 2013 Simon was appointed President, Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific & Global Technology and in 2016 was appointed President of the Groups APAC downstream business incorporating the customer facing functions in Asia Pacific of Incitec Pivot Fertilisers and Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific.
Alan Grace
President Global Manufacturing
A qualified Chemical Engineer, Alan Grace joined IPL in 2000, working at that time for Incitec Limited. He has 30 years’ experience constructing and operating chemical processing plants. He has worked on many large projects in the oil and gas, petrochemical and chemicals sector, including ammonia and ammonium nitrate plants. Alan was the Project Director for IPL’s Moranbah complex during the construction phase and, prior to this appointment he has been the Project Director for the Feasibility Study and early stage construction of the Ammonia plant in Louisiana, USA.
Nick Stratford
President, Dyno Nobel Americas
Nick joined IPL in September 2008, moving from Australia to the U.S. in August of 2013. Nick has over 20 years of professional experience in international finance and business management and has worked previously for large financial firms such as Deloitte & Touche (based out of Melbourne and Los Angeles) and Reckitt Benckiser (based in Europe). Since joining IPL, Nick has performed the role of Group Financial Controller, General Manager Investor Relations and Chief Financial Officer for the North American business. More recently as the North Americas Chief Operating Officer, Nick also served as member on seven of the U.S. Joint Venture Board of Directors. In August 2016 Nick was appointed the role of Dyno Nobel Americas President.
Frank Micallef BBus, MAcc, FCPA, FFA, FAICD
Chief Financial Officer
Frank was appointed as Chief Financial Officer on 23 October 2009. Frank joined IPL in May 2008 as General Manager, Treasury and Chief Financial Officer, Trading. Prior to joining IPL, Frank had significant experience in the explosives and mining industries as Global Treasurer and Investor Relations Manager at Orica Limited and General Manager Accounting at North Limited. Frank is currently a Board member of Queensland Nitrates Pty Ltd and Fabchem Ltd. Frank is responsible for the finance, tax, treasury, legal and company secretarial and procurement functions globally.
Elizabeth Hunter BBus, MBA
Chief Human Resources Officer & Shared Services
Elizabeth joined IPL as Chief Human Resources Officer in October 2013, and was appointed to her current role incorporating HR, IT and responsibility for developing IPL’s Shared Services proposition globally in June 2016. Elizabeth has over 20 years’ experience in Human Resources, both in Australia and in the UK. She has held roles on executive teams of ASX listed companies with global footprints for the last 10 years. Prior to joining IPL, Elizabeth had experience across healthcare, Banking & Financial Services, Industrials contracting & Infrastructure industries. Elizabeth holds a B Bus and an MBA.
Leah Balter B Eng UNSW (Hons), MBA, MAICD
President Strategy & Business Development
Leah Balter joined the IPL Group on 1 August 2016 as President Strategy & Business Development with leadership and responsibility for the Group’s global strategy and new market opportunities.
Previously Leah studied Engineering, immediately followed by an MBA, before transitioning to a career in management consulting. Leah was an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company where she worked in various countries and industries for nine years, and was the head of McKinsey’s Melbourne office.
Leah has deep experience in banking and private investment built from her career with the ANZ Bank, where she held a number of senior executive banking positions including Head of Strategy and Chief of Staff to the Australian CEO.
Leah was previously an advisor to a number of private company boards and non-for profit organisations.