After more than four years at the helm, co-founder and CEO, Laura O’Reilly is moving into a new, exciting and visionary role at Hireup. In doing so, she’ll be passing the reins of CEO to our very own Peter Willis.
With the business experiencing its strongest period of stability and growth yet, Laura believes, “Now is the right moment for a new leader to guide Hireup into its next chapter.”
"Pete will do an exceptional job leading the organisation forward," says Laura. "I'm thrilled to share that he'll become the new CEO of Hireup."
Meet Pete Willis
Peter, or 'Pete' as he's affectionately known at Hireup, began his career in the social sector, helping government and not-for-profits improve services through technology.
After a period of consulting with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), he wanted to move into the disability provider space where innovation was growing.
He discovered Hireup’s 'business-for-good' model and its mission to enable people with disability to have more agency in their lives.
“I just caught the bug. It felt like a really nice fit on lots of levels,” Pete recalls.
Almost six years on, Pete has led Hireup’s client and worker support services as General Manager of Attendant Care – the part of Hireup whose sole focus is dedicated to making sure people with disability receive personalised support.
From behaviour and specialised assistance, to Individualised Living Options and Relationship Management, it all laddered up to Pete and his team.
He has also been a key driver behind the success of Hireup’s support provider offering, leading his team to build a service that enables providers to access our national, flexible support workforce.
Through it all, Pete’s built a deep connection with our company’s mission and community.
“Hireup gives people more choice and more control over their supports. The empowerment of people with disability is at the heart of what we do.”
Continuing a legacy
Pete acknowledges that at the heart of this mission is Hireup’s founders, Laura and Jordan O’Reilly, and their story growing up with their brother Shane. He’s excited to carry on their legacy.
"It is just the most immense privilege to be taking on the role of Hireup CEO and to continue the work that Jordan and Laura started, keeping the spirit with which they created it."
Looking ahead, Pete highlights Hireup’s role in supporting the growth of the NDIS and the rapidly increasing aged care sector: “The single most remarkable thing that Hireup has built is our incredible workforce. We’re helping to grow the support workforce at a time when Australia needs it most,” he says.
“There’s so much opportunity ahead. In disability, aged care and beyond, for us to do things differently, and do them better,” he adds.
A change, but not a goodbye
Laura and her brother and co-founder, Jordan, built Hireup based on lived experience, turning a personal mission into a national movement for choice and control.
For more than a decade, Laura has been a driving force behind Hireup’s growth, staying true to the mission that started it all: empowering people with disability to live the life they choose.
We thank Laura for her leadership, and look forward to her next chapter.
“Hireup has an amazing, values-driven, hard-working, incredible team of people. And under Pete's leadership, I know they’ll keep pushing us forward, making us better, and delivering the ‘Hireup’ our community deserves.”