Our Directors

  • Mark Cooper
    VIC/TAS Director (Chair)

    Mark Cooper

    GAICD, Grad. Cert. Comm

    Mark became a Member of Capricorn Society in 1995 and was first elected to the Board in October 2013. He became Chair of the Board in 2019. Mark is a member of Capricorn’s Remuneration and Nomination Committee and Digital and Transformation Committee. Mark is also a Director of Capricorn Mutual Ltd.

    Mark has been involved in the automotive industry for over 40 years and currently owns and operates a number of mechanical services and repairs businesses.

    Mark has completed a marketing and financing independent business course, a Certificate IV in Small Business Management and obtained a Graduate Certificate in Commercialisation from the University of Tasmania. Mark is a Director of several family-owned companies and currently sits on the Executive Committee of the TACC (Tasmanian Automotive Chamber of Commerce).

  • Bruce Rathie
    Independent Director

    Bruce Rathie

    B.Comm, LLB, MBA, FIML, FAICD, FGIA, Grad Dip CSP, SA Fin

    Bruce was appointed to the Capricorn Board in July 2008 as an Independent Director. Bruce also served as Vice Chair to the Board from 2015 to 2018. Bruce is a member of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee, previously serving as Chair from 2021 to 2023. Bruce is also a Director of Capricorn Mutual Ltd, acting as Chair until June 2023.

    Bruce is currently a non-executive director of ASX listed PolyNovo Limited and ASX listed Cettire Limited. He is also currently Chair of ASX listed 4DMedical Limited and ASX listed CleanSpace Holdings Limited. Prior to commencement of his professional governance career in 2000, he had successful careers in private legal practice and then investment banking.

  • Donna Vinci
    Independent Director

    Donna Vinci

    GAICD, FGIA, MACS-Snr

    Donna joined the Capricorn Board in 2019 and is a member of Capricorn’s Remuneration and Nomination Committee. Donna also chairs Capricorn’s Relationship Committee and Digital and Transformation Committee. Donna has previously served as a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.

    Donna’s extensive experience in board directorships and executive roles across strategy, business, operations, risk management, governance, data, digital technology and her track record of delivering digital disruption and transformation projects for major financial services organisations globally enables her to play a key role in business transformation as we continue to integrate human and digitisation for our business to create new customer experiences and making a societal impact.

    In addition to her directorship at Capricorn, Donna currently serves as a Non-executive Director at Newcastle Greater Mutual Group, Hunter Water, MS Plus and Oakhill College and is a strategic advisor.

    Donna is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, is a Fellow with the Governance Institute of Australia and a graduate in ESG Leadership. Donna was awarded Cisco’s Women in IT, 2019, CIO of the Year Award.

  • James Candish
    NZ Director

    James Candish

    James joined the Capricorn Board in 2023 and was appointed as a member of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee and the Capricorn Relationship Committee.

    James has been a successful mechanical services business owner in Ashhurst for the last 16 years and is currently the Central west Regional Chair for the MTA. James is also actively serving in roles within his local school Board and Parent Teacher Association.

    A passion for industry teaching and apprentice training has driven James to address critical issues in this area through collaboration with local training institutes.

  • Lydia Stjepanovic
    NSW / ACT Director

    Lydia Stjepanovic

    BCom, GAICD

    Lydia was elected to the Board in 2021 and is Chair of Capricorn’s Remuneration and Nomination Committee. Lydia also serves on the Digital and Transformation Committee and was previously a member of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee and the Capricorn Relationship Committee.

    Lydia is a second-generation automotive services business owner with a Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Management) from the University of Western Sydney and an Advanced Diploma in Business (Marketing) from Macleay College.

    Lydia grew up within the automotive industry as the daughter of an auto electrician. Lydia has been involved with the industry her entire life in one capacity or another.

  • Mario Pirone
    Independent Director

    Mario Pirone

    B.Bus, Grad. Dip. Bus, FCPA

    Mario joined the Capricorn Board in July 2014 as an Independent Director. Mario became Chair of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee in October 2023 and has previously served as a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee and the Digital and Transformation Committee. Mario also served as Vice Chair to the Board from 2019 to 2022.

    Mario is also Director and Chair of the Capricorn Mutual Board.

    Mario brings over 26 years’ experience as a senior executive and director in large and complex organisations. Mario has enjoyed a lengthy career in the general insurance, funds management and financial services fields. Mario was formerly CEO of the Guild Group (2009 to 2022), CEO of CGU Insurance (2004-2008) and a Senior Group Executive with Insurance Australia Group (1999-2008).

    Mario has also held a number of non-executive directorships over the past 11 years.

  • Mark Rowe
    QLD Director

    Mark Rowe

    GAICD

    Mark has run his own business for 25 years. Mark has been a Capricorn Member since 1999 and was first elected to the Board in October 2022. Mark is a member of the Capricorn Remuneration and Nomination Committee, the Digital and Transformation Committee and the Capricorn Relationship Committee. Mark served as a member of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee from October 2022 to October 2023.

    Mark has previous Board and Committee experience including being a current Vice President of VASA, a non-profit organisation representing the technicians, professional service centres, suppliers and original equipment manufacturers of the automotive air conditioning, electrical and thermal management industry in Australia and New Zealand. Mark is also a member of the Beaudesert Chamber of Commerce.

  • Nigel Oborne
    WA Director

    Nigel Oborne

    Nigel has 34 years of automotive industry experience. He has been a Capricorn Member for 26 years and was first elected to the Board in October 2022. Nigel is a member of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee.

    Nigel is the currently the national representative of AASDN (Australian Automotive Service Dealers Network) and is also a WA representative for the Automotive Repairers Council of Australia.

    Nigel has previous committee experience working with the Bosch Service Council of WA, the Australian Bosch Service Dealers Network and as Chair of the OTRA (on the road again tours charity group).

  • Peter Stewart
    SA/NT Director

    Peter Stewart

    Dip. Auto., Dip.T., Adv. Dip.T., MMIAME, GAICD

    Peter joined the Capricorn Board in 2015. Peter is a member of Capricorn’s Audit and Risk Committee and the Capricorn Relationship Committee. Peter has previously served on the

    Capricorn Remuneration and Nomination Committee, including serving as Chair from 2018 to October 2020.

    Peter has been involved in the automotive industry for over 24 years. He sits on a number of automotive industry committees. Peter has been a Capricorn Member since 1999 and is currently a Master Member of the IAME, Deputy Chair of the MTA (SA) Automotive Repair Division Committee, a member of the Industry Advisory Council of the MTA (SA), and a member of the RAA Approved Repairers Committee.