Expert management is key to our success

SPAR Australia has a highly experienced management team, most of whom have occupied previous top level roles within the industry, both in independent retail and major companies.

Lou Jardin
Managing Director

Lou Jardin was appointed Managing Director of SPAR Australia in December 2010.

Lou Jardin was the Chief Executive Officer of IGA Distribution for Metcash from 2000 to 2010. He has nearly 40 years Industry experience including owning and operating independent supermarkets and holding senior positions within a chain store environment, as well as warehouse and distribution operations. He held a senior position with Coles Myer for 11 years before joining Metcash in 1997 as the National Manager of Company owned stores. In 1998, Lou moved to Queensland as the State General Manager until May 2000. His relationship with SPAR started early on with his family owning SPAR Supermarkets in South Africa. Lou owned his first SPAR store at the age of 19.

Ian Stephens
Chief Financial Officer
BBS (Accounting Finance and Information Systems), CA (NZICA)

Ian Edward Stephens was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of SPAR Australia in November 2010.

Ian holds a Business Degree in Accounting, Finance and Information Systems and is a Chartered Accountant (CA). Ian has broad operational finance and management experience in NZ Liquor, DB Breweries and New Zealand Dairy Foods and has held senior divisional finance roles in Goodman Fielder. He has also been involved in establishing a start-up food export business.

John Costanzo
State Manager – QLD & Northern NSW

John Costanzo was appointed State Manager – QLD & Northern NSW in December 2010.

John Costanzo is a 4th generation retailer and has wide ranging experience in the grocery industry. Over the last ten years he has held various senior positions with supermarket groups including Senior Property Development Manager. Prior to this, John owned his own store and in his own words was ‘born & raised behind the counter’.

Lou Zdraveski
State Manager – NSW & ACT

Lou Zdraveski was appointed State Manager – NSW & ACT in December 2010.

With over 25 years experience in the FMCG industry, specializing in retail & wholesale, Lou brings a wealth of knowledge & skills to SPAR Australia. Lou spent 15 years at Coles supermarkets in various operations and merchandise roles. He was then recruited to Metcash where he held various senior roles working with retailers and suppliers and most recently in the position of Merchandise Manager for NSW.

Grant Gearing
National Warehouse & Logistics Manager

Grant Gearing was appointed National Warehouse & Logistics Manager in December 2010.

With a degree in Logistics and 22 years in the industry, Grant’s warehousing experience is extensive. His previous roles include State Distribution Manager for NSW and General Manager Distribution for Metcash. With experience in managing over 2200 employees and stock holdings of up to $415 million, Grant brings a wealth of knowledge to the business.

Jason Crane
QLD Warehouse Manager

Jason Crane has been with the SPAR Australia Limited supply chain for the past 8 years in a diverse range of roles. Jason has over 20 years experience within the FMCG industry having held roles in Logistics, Finance, Audit, Project Management and Asset Protection. He is a member of the Logistics Association of Australia and has a keen interest in warehousing & logistics trends with a view to continual improvement of service delivery. Jason is also SPAR's Workplace Health & Safety Officer and brings a strong safety focus to warehouse and transport operations.

Grant Nichols
NSW State Merchandise Manager
Master of Business Administration

Grant was appointed Merchandise Manager for SPAR Australia in January 2011 and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration. His career in retailing started with Big W where he held various store based management roles over a six year period. He then moved to Metcash for another six years where he held numerous buying roles, the most recent being Senior Buyer and Merchandise 2 I C. Within the latter role he managed and was accountable for a $1.1 billion sales budget and the gross profit line for NSW. Grant has an exceptional mind for retailing and is a valuable asset to the SPAR team.

Lisa Peebles
Marketing Manager
B.Bus Communications

With a degree in Communications & Marketing, Lisa Peebles commenced her career in retailing with United Star Supermarkets Limited in 2002 in the role of Advertising Coordinator. Lisa continued with the business through a merger with Australian Retail Logistix in 2005 taking on various marketing roles, and now manages the SPAR Australia Marketing department.

Helen Gooderham
Customer Liaison Manager

Helen Gooderham has 25 years experience in the independent grocery industry in a range of roles, always involved with customer service. Originally starting with Country & City Supermarkets, IG and Foodmaster brands, through mergers moved to QIW and Foodstore, briefly with Davids, then with USSL, ARLL and now SPAR Australia.

Rebecca Andrew
Marketing Manager
B.Bus Administration, JP

Rebecca was appointed Marketing Manager for SPAR Australia in March 2011. Her career in independent retailing started at a young age with family involvement in independent jewellery retailing. Rebecca has spent over 12 years in various Marketing and Merchandise support office roles across national sporting, luxury goods, telecommunications and FMGC buying groups and franchises. Prior to joining SPAR, Rebecca spent almost 5 years as Brand Manager for IGA NSW/ACT at Metcash.

Nick Koutsis
Retail Systems Manager

Nick joined SPAR in April 2011 and comes to us with a lifetime of retail grocery experience with his family owning Retail grocery businesses for many years. Nick’s experience ranges from owning his own stores to recently holding the title of Operations Manager with a major player in the Grocery POS system arena, and Technology Manager with another Independent banner for many years.

Nick specialies in Retail Technology to our Retailer stores ensuring that our Retailers are maximizing their POS systems for maintaining and increasing margin management as well as keeping up with the latest technology available.

Expert management is key to our success

Lou Jardin Managing Director

Ian Stephens Chief Financial Officer BBS (Accounting Finance and Information Systems), CA (NZICA)

John Costanzo State Manager – QLD & Northern NSW

Lou Zdraveski State Manager – NSW & ACT

Grant Gearing National Warehouse & Logistics Manager

Jason Crane QLD Warehouse Manager

Grant Nichols NSW State Merchandise Manager Master of Business Administration

Lisa Peebles Marketing Manager B.Bus Communications

Helen Gooderham Customer Liaison Manager

Rebecca Andrew Marketing Manager B.Bus Administration, JP

Nick Koutsis Retail Systems Manager