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Adelaide Zoo Director, Dr Phil Ainsley, has been named the next Chief Executive of Zoos SA with the Board of the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia having made the announcement and with the appointment effective April 2025.

Following the retirement announcement of current Zoos SA Chief Executive Elaine Bensted in October, a global recruitment search was undertaken with over 90 applicants throwing their hats in the ring to take up the top job at this iconic South Australian conservation charity.

With applicants spanning international, national and local leaders from zoos and the zoo industry, not for profit organisations, government agencies, charities, academia and the private sector – in this instance, the best talent was found right at home.

Zoos SA President Julieann Riedstra advised “I’m very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Phil Ainsley to the role of Zoos SA Chief Executive from April 2025.

“We conducted an extensive recruitment process and were incredibly pleased to see the high calibre of applicants who wanted to be a part of Zoos SA; this speaks for our position as a renowned and reputable leader within the global zoo network and solidifies our standing as an employer of choice.

“Our shortlist included international and interstate talent, but ultimately the board agreed that Phil’s leadership skills, conservation credentials, knowledge of the zoo industry and our organisation and his exciting vision for its future, make Phil the best person to lead Zoos SA and to deliver on our current key priorities – the arrival of the new Giant Pandas, the arrival of four more elephants and the opening of the luxury resort and safari experience at Monarto Safari Park.”

Currently serving as the Director of Adelaide Zoo, Dr Ainsley’s career has spanned 25 years across the not for profit, government and private sectors and has seen Dr Ainsley dedicated to conservation of the world’s flora and fauna. He has a long history with Zoos SA, having joined the organisation in 2013 as the Conservation Programs Manager working across both Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park, before taking up a Curator role overseeing conservation, birds, reptiles, and native species, then stepping into the Director position in 2021.

Dr Ainsley says he is still pinching himself, but is looking forward to his future at the helm of Zoos SA adding “some of my fondest childhood memories are of Adelaide Zoo. My father worked with reptiles here for nearly 20 years and I was incredibly fortunate to grow up spending a great deal of time watching him work and developing a passion for nature.

“While I’m eternally grateful for that strong history, I’m also very excited to look to the future of Zoos SA. Elaine Bensted has been a truly inspiring leader of our organisation for the past 12 years and I’m honoured to continue not only Elaine’s work, but the 140-year legacy of Zoos SA into the future.

“The great thing about having spent so much time in the organisation, is knowing first-hand what an incredible honour it is to lead this amazing group of people, support the remarkable animals in our care, and continue the vital work of Zoos SA to connect people with nature and help save species from extinction.”

Since Dr Ainsley’s appointment as Director, Adelaide Zoo has achieved enormous success, with record visitation and recognition as Australia’s Major Tourist Attraction in 2022 – the only South Australian business to have been awarded gold on the national stage.

As an existing member of the Zoos SA Leadership Team, the top job isn’t completely unknown territory for Dr Ainsley; he has acted as Chief Executive on a number of occasions and was a key figure in the development of the Zoos SA Master Plan 2015-2035 and its subsequent updates. He has successfully negotiated the recent Giant Panda agreements for Adelaide Zoo, in partnership with China and Australian State and Federal Governments.

Dr Ainsley is also a renowned leader within the Australasian zoo industry, currently serving as chair of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) Ethics Committee, and is a long-standing member of an animal welfare and ethics advisory group to the South Australian Government.

It comes as no surprise to many that outgoing Chief Executive, Elaine Bensted – a remarkable leader herself, and well-known for significantly improving the fortunes of Zoos SA over the past 12 years – has ensured talent within the organisation and had an eye to a succession plan.

“Having worked with Phil for over a decade, I can say with the utmost confidence that he is the right person to take Zoos SA into the future,” shared Bensted.

“Leading this organisation is a role that provides more ‘wow’ moments than most, and the mission grows more critical every day. I certainly wouldn’t say it’s easy but I would absolutely say it’s rewarding, and I hope Phil finds the same.

“I’m proud to see Phil step into the CE role and lead this iconic organisation, and I know he has the full backing of not just the board, but the Executive Leadership Team as well as our 350 staff and 450 volunteers.

“Phil and I will be working closely together with the board over the coming months to ensure a comprehensive handover and a smooth transition takes place when I head into retirement in April 2025.”

Dr Ainsley shared his plans for the future noting “I look forward to seeing Zoos SA continue to develop, grow, and strengthen its position as a leader in the global zoo industry.

“But I think it’s also important to wake up every day and recognise what an incredible privilege this is.”

Image. Zoos SA President, Julieann Riedstra; future Zoos SA Chief Executive, Dr Phil Ainsley; Zoos SA Chief Executive, Elaine Bensted. Credit Zoos SA

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