KIK Innovation Board
CEO & Founding Director
Louise Nobes
Louise Nobes is an award-winning social entrepreneur, with a 20-year background in social work and business. As the Founder and CEO of KIK Innovation, an NFP started in 2015 and now encompassing KIK Academy and Grok Academy, she pioneers innovative solutions to address employment and education barriers for marginalised individuals, particularly in the tech space.
Through innovative training programs, KIK Innovation provided 15,000 hours of training from 2016 to 2018, resulting in 22,000 hours of paid employment. In 2020, Louise discovered 42, a revolutionary coding school in France, inspiring her to establish a 42 Adelaide Campus in 2021. Offering free education to all, it awarded 400+ full scholarships, with over 50% of students securing tech jobs before completion. In 2024, KIK Innovation became an accredited RTO through KIK Academy, offering the Diploma of IT (Advanced Programming) course at no cost to students, and assumed ownership of Grok Academy, a free digital learning platform that provides coding and Digital Technologies resources and challenges to young people and has been accessed by over 1 million Australian and New Zealand students since 2019.
Louise's dedication to equitable education underscores her commitment to fostering meaningful change and means she is constantly searching for innovative and disruptive solutions that can remove some of the greatest barriers to education and unemployment for young people, and all.
Chairperson & Director
George Zenon
George, a renowned Business Strategist, Presenter, and Best Selling Author, empowers business performance globally. With 15+ years of experience, he's guided 350+ owners across 34 industries, generating $150M+ revenue. His leadership fosters high-performing teams and successful ventures. George's books, "Small Changes Huge Results" and "Bold Brave Business," achieved best-seller status. His success stems from accessible leadership and proven frameworks, simplifying complex strategies. Passionate about education and business, he inspires growth.
Director
Sam Moore
Sam, an accomplished finance professional and lawyer, serves as Managing Director at Capital Prudential funds management and as a Non-Executive Director at the Social Impact Investment Network of South Australia. With over 13 years of experience at Rural Bank Limited and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd, he has excelled in various banking facets including structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, and product development. Sam's expertise extends to the retirement sector, having served as a Director at Homesafe Solutions. Prior to finance, he practiced law specialising in international cross-border structured finance transactions in Australia and Europe for a decade.
Treasurer & Board Member
Shaklo Rasulova
Shakhlo, a CPA, brings extensive financial and strategic expertise to her roles as Chief Financial Officer at the South Australian Museum and Treasurer at Women in Innovation Board. With a focus on corporate governance, she excels in business planning, reporting, and process improvement. Shakhlo champions innovation, leveraging technology and change management to enhance business performance and service delivery. Her commitment to sharing knowledge and promoting innovation aligns with her dedication to organizations like KIK Innovation.
Board Member
Judy Halliday
Dr. Judy Halliday, COO of the Office of the South Australian Chief Entrepreneur in the Department for Innovation and Skills, oversees support for the Chief Entrepreneur, the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, and startup initiatives like the Startup Hub at Lot Fourteen. With over 30 years' experience spanning academia, industry, and investment, she's published in peer-reviewed journals, secured grants, and patented inventions. Judy's strategic acumen extends to serving on startup boards and investment committees, where she champions diversity and inclusion. She currently chairs the Reconciliation Action Plan working group and is an active SheEO activator.