Executive leadership


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Chief Executive Officer, Michael FrancisMichael Francis

Chief Executive Officer

Michael has been the CEO at ReturnToWorkSA since September 2019, prior to which he was Deputy CEO Participants and Planning Experience with the National Disability Insurance Agency.

As a Deputy CEO at the National Disability Insurance Agency Michael led service delivery operations nationally, including the local area coordinator and early childhood early intervention partner networks.

Michael has extensive experience in work injury insurance having previously spent five years with ReturnToWorkSA in the roles of General Manager Insurance and General Manager Scheme Improvement and Regulation, as well as 15 years of service delivery and leadership experience working across a range of injury prevention, rehabilitation, insurance and regulatory roles in the Queensland work injury insurance scheme.


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Chief Operating Officer, Insurance, Declan CollinsDeclan Collins

Chief Operating Officer, Insurance

Declan joined ReturnToWorkSA in August 2020. He has 20 years' experience working in statutory personal injury schemes in various jurisdictions across Australia.

Prior to joining ReturnToWorkSA, Declan spent 7 year overseeing large claims management operations in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. He has also worked for WorkSafe Victoria in a number of different roles including Contract and Audit Manager, Director of Entitlements, Investigations Manager and Senior Prosecutor.


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Executive Leader, Finance and Investments, Paul CaskeyPaul Caskey

Executive Leader, Finance and Investments

Paul joined ReturnToWorkSA in 2012 as the Chief Investment Officer. He is now responsible for Finance, Investments, Actuarial, Analytics, Strategy, Governance and Risk. Paul has more than 20 years of finance and investment industry experience.

Prior to joining ReturnToWorkSA, Paul worked as the Manager, Investments at State Trustees Limited.


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Executive Leader, Regulation, James LargeJames Large

Executive Leader, Regulation

James has been the Executive Leader Regulation since October 2021. He has more than 25 years’ experience in workers compensation, Compulsory Third Party (CTP), Work Health and Safety and disability management.

Previously, James has held senior leadership roles at the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), GIO Workers Compensation and ReturnToWorkSA, which included responsibility for Scheme Reform and the management of all self-insured employers. At GIO he was the Workers Compensation Scheme Manager for the NSW Treasury Managed Fund (TMF), responsible for the management of work injury claims for all NSW Public Sector employees.


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Executive Leader, Technology Transformation, Terry SweeneyTerry Sweeney

Executive Leader, Digital Transformation

Terry joined ReturnToWorkSA in 2022 and is responsible for leading digital transformation.

Terry is a senior leader with more than 22 years of industry experience in health and human services transformation. He has extensive international experience and a proven track record of helping organisations realise the potential of digital technologies. He has worked with leading government and private organisations across Europe, US, UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Executive Leader, People and Communications, Jas RieckJas Rieck

Executive Leader, People and Communications

Jas joined ReturnToWorkSA in 2010. She has 20 years’ experience in senior human resources roles across the defense, R&D and tertiary education sectors. Jas is responsible for human resources, work health safety and wellbeing, education and communication services.

Jas was formerly the Manager, Organisational Development at the University of Adelaide.


Portrait of ReturnToWorkSA Leader, Legal Services, John O'LoughlinJohn O'Loughlin

Leader, Legal Services

John joined ReturnToWorkSA in 2008 and has been responsible for leading the Legal Services team since July 2020.

He has more than 20 years’ experience in work injury insurance and personal injury litigation. He previously held various positions at ReturnToWorkSA including Senior Lawyer, Manager Serious Injury Unit, Project Director Scheme Reform, Director Government Relations, Director Regulation and Leader Enforcement.

Prior to joining ReturnToWorkSA, John worked in a variety of legal and claims management roles at legal firms and insurance companies.