This month we spoke with David Waters, Director Environment and Infrastructure, Adelaide Hills Council, about his career journey, his participation in the Executive Leaders Program the same year he was Acting CEO, his key takeaways from the General Managers and Directors Network Forum, and his picks for when you're in the hills.

What is your role and how long have you been in local government?

I've been in local government for 20 years (never, ever did I think I'd be saying that!) and have led a range of functions from community development to economic development and parks management to infrastructure planning. I'm currently Director Environment and Infrastructure at Adelaide Hills Council following 10 years as Director Community Capacity.

With LG Professionals SA, you completed the Executive Leaders Program across 2022, and in the same year, you were Acting CEO at Adelaide Hills Council. What learnings from the program assisted you during this period of change and opportunity?

The Executive Leaders Program was one of the best leadership development programs I've done, and I was able to draw on so many of the learnings when I was Acting CEO. The program teaches you a range of systematic and logical ways to approach complex issues but also draws upon the forces of human nature and encourages participants to be open and sharing.

There were loads of 'ideas for rent' but the best thing about doing the course was meeting a whole bunch of sector colleagues I'd never otherwise have come across. I've since called upon many of them for ideas, advice and guidance.

You recently attended the LG Professionals SA General Managers and Directors Network Forum: Hot Topic Hub, what was your biggest takeaway from the Forum?

The General Managers and Directors Network is always a hive of ideas and creativity. There was a really interesting topic on AI and we started wondering how it would look if we started letting AI systems actually make decisions for us, not just write reports with analysis and recommendations. Could AI one day replace the elected body?!

We also workshopped elected member and staff relations and ways of remaining focussed on big picture thinking ahead of the small stuff.

You were a Board Member for Adelaide Hills Tourism – what’s somewhere/something we have to check out when we’re in the hills?

I always encourage people to take the road less travelled, so start by taking a different route into the Hills than the one you'd normally take. Stop at a roadside produce or craft stall. Have lunch and a sip at a winery in Lenswood and then head on to Australia's newest cultural centre, the Fabrik arts and heritage hub in the old Onkaparinga Woollen Mill Museum at Lobethal. It has a textile art focus in keeping with the woollen mill theme. It's an initiative of Adelaide Hills Council and has just been opened after a two-year redevelopment of the site - a project I was heavily involved with and incredibly proud of.