Guide Dogs SA/NT CEO Aaron Chia to step down

Guide Dogs SA/NT CEO Aaron Chia will step down in early 2026 after nine years in the role, choosing to spend more time with family and to concentrate on his external board roles.

Mr Chia, who is highly-respected in the South Australian business community, will semi-retire and continue to serve on several boards within the corporate sector.

Prior to joining Guide Dogs SA/NT in 2017, Mr Chia held several senior executive positions in both the private and public sectors, with a focus on business transformation. This included the listing of a South Australian biotechnology company on the ASX; implementation of significant cultural change and service delivery reforms for the SA Ambulance Service as its Deputy CEO; and the delivery of key South Australian government target outcomes ahead of the privatisation of the SA Motor Accident Commission (MAC) as its CEO.

At a time when many charities are facing declining funding from corporate partners and donors, Guide Dogs SA/NT has continued to maintain its goodwill within the community, increase its social impact through the provision of guide and assistance dogs and client services, and stabilised its fundraising income during Mr Chia’s tenure.

"We have worked hard at Guide Dogs SA/NT to engage with our community – that includes the people who access all of the services we provide, from our dog services to occupational therapy, human guide training for organisations, mobility training and our youth groups and social activities,” Mr Chia said.

"We have fostered a strong relationship with the South Australian Government and I'm proud of our work to improve access to public transport and community events such as the Adelaide Fringe, so that our clients can live the lives they want to lead.

“We introduced two Facility Dogs to our state’s courts system, with Zeb now helping victims of crime in his role in the Attorney General’s department. We have also worked closely with Adelaide Airport Ltd, which welcomed Elmo as the first internationally-accredited Airport Assistance Dog, helping people who might feel a bit anxious about travelling and those with hidden disabilities.

“We have supported thousands of people across our many and varied services, along with training more than 200 Guide Dogs, Facility Dogs and Assistance Dogs, and our team will continue to do an amazing job serving the community long past my departure.”

During his tenure, Mr Chia oversaw the opening and establishment of Beau’s Pet Hotel as a viable social enterprise, including ensuring it remained viable during and post-COVID.

He also faced challenges, many of which he shared with the broader disability services sector, primarily arising from the introduction of the NDIS. This meant an immediate reduction in overall revenue, which had previously been provided by government grants, at a time when fundraising income was in decline due to the natural attrition of regular donors.

Having migrated to Australia with his family as a child, Mr Chia’s early experiences with the challenges that diversity could bring fuelled a personal drive to positively impact people’s lives in and outside of work, and his eventual move into the community services sector, culminating in his role at Guide Dogs.

Mr Chia has now chosen to spend more time with his family, including his young granddaughter.

“While the Guide Dogs team – including staff and volunteers – has been like a family to me over the past nine years, I’ve decided that it’s time for me to spend some more time with my own family, including my wife, my son and daughter-in-law, and our beautiful granddaughter,” Mr Chia said.

“I’m looking forward to stepping back and focusing on their needs while enjoying some quality family time.”

Mr Chia will remain in the role until April, to facilitate the smooth transition to a new chief executive.