SSAA DIRECTORS

MEET THE NEW BOARD DIRECTORS OF THE SSAA

MICHAEL ALAFACI

Michael has been in the industry for 14 years and believes the Storage Industry is a great industry to be in.

His current role includes the responsibility and oversight of the financial and reporting function of the Storage King Group, both at the individual store level right up to the Corporate Head Office Group’s consolidated reporting level.

Having assisted Storage King navigate through a steep growth path over the past 14 years, Michael has developed his role into what it is today. This was achieved by putting in place the financial, management and analytical reporting tools to facilitate visibility across all areas of the business.

This is a key role in the company by bringing the various stakeholders together and addressing matters relating to financial, operational, legal, compliance and other areas, by working with stakeholders of all levels from store assistants right up to the CEO and Director level.

In addition Michael’s role also includes responsibility of the internal legal and corporate functions, managing and liaising with the group’s external legal, tax and corporate advisers, and communicating with others charged with governance.

WAYNE DADE

For approximately the last 15 years Wayne has been the co-owner and director of two self storage businesses in South Australia – Glenelg Self Storage and Western Self Storage. As a new Director Wayne is ready to give the association and the membership his time and energy to ensure the association continues to provide all members with the facilities and support that they need.

Wayne also volunteers his time as a business mentor and he continually hears business owners state; l How competition is getting tougher l How the new digital world of marketing a business is complicated and frustrating l The difficulties of relating to the current generation of savvy customers l That business red tape consumes business owners time

Through his business journey both in corporate and as a business owner Wayne has been involved in service industries all of which are unique in their needs. One of the keys to success in service businesses is the flexibility to adapt to an ever-changing consumer environment.

Wayne believes the SSAA is the best Association he has ever been involved in and wants to ensure that as a membership based organisation the association is continually supported.

NED COTEN

Ned has been involved in the self storage industry since 2004, when he purchased a fledgling self storage business in the suburb of Sunshine, Victoria. In the following years, he moved the business to a new site, expanded the operations and developed systems and processes to allow the business to be run entirely under management.

In late 2017, he completed negotiations for the purchase of a property in Altona North for a second business - City West Storage - which is now up and running.

Ned has been a member of the Self Storage Association of Australasia since 2004 and is excited at the opportunity to represent other owners to assist in the growth and development of the industry. He is also a Chairman, NonExecutive Director and former CEO with over two decades of board-level experience across the commercial and Not for Profit sectors. He has particular expertise in brand strategy, business growth, start-ups, marketing, and change management. Current Board-level leadership experience includes being the Chair of Basketball Australia and Chair of The Contenders Advisory Board.

Ned was previously the Managing Director of Acorn Branding, CEO of Perth Wildcats & Victoria Titans (National Basketball league) and Adelaide Force FC (A-League).

MARTIN COOTE –

Martin grew up around the self storage industry and the SSAA. His late father, Robert, was SSAA President in 2000 and mother, Elaine, was made a Life Member in 2018. Martin has been personally active in the SSAA, attending conferences and regional meetings in Australia and New Zealand, presenting at O-Days, and contributing to Insider magazine. He brings to the board this knowledge of the SSAA and the industry, as well as previous board experience as director and chairman.

Martin is Director of Lock Distributors Pty Ltd and has a diverse background covering business, law and the creative arts. Lock Distributors is a wholesaler of specialist locks for the self storage and vending industries, and operates a group of locksmith and security companies in NSW. Under his direction the company resumed direct control of its distribution in New Zealand and acquired two more businesses in 2017.

Martin is Chairman of St Marys Town Centre Ltd, a not-for-profit board charged with the support, development and promotion of a retail and commercial precinct comprising over 250 businesses in western Sydney.

Martin lives in Sydney and enjoys music, art and subtracting bottles from his wine collection.