“I am committed to offering dynamic and authentic executive leadership, leveraging my skills, broad industry knowledge, connections, and experience to create a continuous positive impact. I am very grateful for the learnings and insights I have gained as a leader throughout my career and in turn, I seek to continue to significantly contribute, through my unique blend of leadership, strategy, policy and operational expertise, leaving a lasting positive legacy to Australian Communities” Simon Davis.

Simon is both highly strategic and delivery-focused, achieving success through people. He is dedicated to building successful teams by fostering a human-centered environment and supporting teams through effective systems, tools, and training. He has developed a unique blend of executive leadership, operational, policy, and strategic expertise, primarily within emergency services and the broader emergency management sector. His skills include authentic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and coordinated crisis leadership, with a proven ability to address complex Government and community needs. His extensive leadership and technical experience are complemented by tertiary education in management, fire, investigation and emergency management.

With extensive experience in politically sensitive environments, Simon has successfully engaged with officials at various Government levels, including Ministers, Local Members, Mayors, General Managers, and Commissioners / Chief Executive Officers. He has influenced across Government departments, industry partners, and the community through participation in multi-agency forums and leadership roles, such as the State Emergency Management Committee, State Recovery Committee and the State Rescue Board in NSW.

As an Area Commander with the NSW Rural Fire Service, Simon led teams delivering effective fire and emergency management arrangements including, planning, preparedness and response capabilities across 18 Local Government Areas. He was responsible for over 200 staff, approx. 15,000 volunteers, 10 Incident Control Centres, and 193 fire stations with a fleet of over 987 vehicles.

Simon successfully established and grew the NSW Rural Fire Service State Mitigation Support Services capability to over 200 field, support and supervisory staff located throughout NSW, planning and implementing a range of on ground fire mitigation and prevention works programs. Additionally, Simon played a key role in the development and delivery of the AIDER (Assist infirm Disabled and Elderly Residents) Program, supporting communities most vulnerable to ensure they were prepared for the impact of bushfire. Simon's organisational abilities, fire and disaster management knowledge, together with exceptional stakeholder engagement skills and leadership style have contributed to his success.

Simon has also held roles in the NSW Public Sector, Senior Executive Band 1 Director and Band 2 Executive Director positions, further demonstrating his ability to build and lead high-performing teams in complex emergency management policy and coordination. Simon held responsibilities for the State Emergency Operations Centre, State Crisis Centre, Emergency Management Policy, Operational Coordination, State Recovery Coordination and Disaster Welfare.

As a NSW Government Senior Executive, Simon led the coordination and activation of more than 166 Evacuation Centres supporting over 14, 188 evacuees and led on-ground recovery efforts in the Northern Rivers following the 2022 flooding events as the State Welfare Services Functional Area Coordinator whilst concurrently serving as the Deputy Regional Recovery Coordinator. Simon was also responsible for Natural Disaster Declarations and the activation of Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) for the provision of financial and other assistance measures being available to local councils, government organisations and disaster impacted communities. Within a three year period, Simon activated these arrangements on more than 52 occasions, resulting in over 460 Local Government Areas being disaster declared, including, many Local Government Areas experiencing multiple disaster declarations for different disaster events. 

Throughout his career, Simon has contributed to fire and emergency management policy and coordination at the local, regional and state levels. At the local level, Simon served as the Executive Officer of the Cumberland Bush Fire Management Committee and member of the Blacktown, Fairfield and Penrith Local Emergency Management Committees. At the regional level, Simon served as a member of the North West, South West and Central Metropolitan Regional Emergency Management Committees. At the State level, Simon served as a member of the State Emergency Management Committee, Executive Officer of the State Rescue Board, Chair of the Welfare Services Functional Area Sub-Committee and many more. Simon also led the secretariat for many of these state level forums. 

Simon’s operational experience extends from 'hands on the hose' frontline firefighting to executive-level leadership of large-scale emergencies. He has served as Incident Controller for significant bushfires and major incidents, overseeing public information, safety, operations, planning, and logistics. His strategic command experience includes coordinating large-scale firefighting operations and agency personnel during flooding and other disasters. In crisis and recovery events, he has provided whole-of-Government leadership as the State Welfare Services Functional Area Coordinator and Deputy State Emergency Recovery Controller. Simon is also experienced in operational and routine media, public information and warning services.

Simon has served communities, emergency services, and the broader emergency management sector for over 27 years in both career and volunteer roles. He has demonstrated his commitment to metropolitan, regional, rural, and remote parts of the country, working with business, industry, not-for-profits, and Government for almost three decades.

Simon lives in the NSW Southern Highlands and continues to contribute to the community through volunteer roles with the local football club, NSW Rural Fire Service, and VRA Rescue NSW.

Simon's qualifications and professional development activities include:

• Certificate IV in Government Investigations.

• Registered Level 3 Incident Controller.

• Pioneer Agency Commander (Counter Terrorism) Workshop.

• Bachelor of Emergency Management.

• Incident Controller Major Incident Program.

• Diploma of Management.

• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Community Safety).

• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management).

• Certificate IV in Public Safety (Firefighting Supervision).

• Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

• Certificate IV in Local Government (Regulatory Services).