Mark Hawthorne
B. Financial Administration, CA, GAICD
Chairman & Independent Non-executive Director
Audit and Risk Committee member
People, Culture and Nominations Committee member
Mark has extensive executive experience leading franchisee-centric brands across a range of environments, including start-up, founder-led, large multinational and private equity ownership, and across diverse international markets and cultures.
He has more than 32 years’ experience in retail and franchising, including as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Guzman y Gomez from 2015 to 2020. Prior to this, Mark held senior leadership roles with McDonald’s, leading operations in key markets including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa.
Mark achieved his Chartered Accountant qualification in 1997 and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Xavier Simonet
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
Xavier is a highly experienced global CEO and Managing Director, with a proven track record of formulating and implementing strategic plans across multi-site retail operations. He has successfully grown sales and profitability across multiple geographies and brings diversity of experience across a range of sectors and companies. Xavier has a global mindset and a track record of delivering operational performance, leading business transformation and executing mergers and acquisitions.
Prior to joining Collins Foods, Xavier was the Chief Executive Officer of Austrade – the Australian Government agency responsible for the promotion of international trade and investment within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) portfolio – where he successfully partnered with government and businesses to grow Australian business globally.
Previously he was Group CEO and Managing Director of ASX-listed Kathmandu Holdings for six years, where he managed growth and diversification of the Kathmandu, Rip Curl and Oboz brands. Prior to that he was CEO of Radley London and spent four years at Seafolly Group where he was International Director. Earlier in his career Mr Simonet held various management roles over 11 years with Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) in Europe, Asia and Australia.
Xavier speaks English and French and has studied German.
Nicki Anderson
B. Business (Marketing), MBA, FAICD
Independent Non-executive Director
People, Culture and Nominations Committee Chair
Nicki is a non-executive director with over 35 years’ experience working in Oceania, Asia, Europe and America and has hands on leadership experience in strategy, sales, marketing, customer experience and innovation within the food, beverage, consumer goods and agribusiness sectors. Her leadership roles include Vice President Innovation at Cadbury Schweppes Americas (Dr Pepper Snapple) based in New York, Marketing & Innovation Director for Coca Cola Amatil and McCain Foods, and led large, geographically diverse casual and part-time workforces across metropolitan, regional, and rural Australia in a Group CEO role spanning Powerforce, DemoPlus, Artel, and Retail Facts, delivering end-to-end workforce execution for both major manufacturers and leading retail clients nationwide.
Nicki is currently a Non-executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee for Craig Mostyn Group and Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-Operative; Deputy Chair and Chair of the Nomination Committee for Australian Made Campaign Limited; and Non-executive Director for Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Nicki is also an Advisory Board Member for NSW Tourism & Visitor Economy Policy Committee and Business NSW Awards Judge.
She was previously a Non-executive Director, and Chair of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee for ASX listed GrainCorp Limited; ASX listed Select Harvests and is a former Chair and Member of the Monash University Advisory Board for the Marketing faculty.
Nigel Clark
BSc, PGDipL, Solicitor (NSW) (Eng&Wales)
Independent Non-executive Director
Audit and Risk Committee member
A qualified lawyer in both Australia and the United Kingdom, Nigel spent almost 20 years advising on cross border finance, restructuring, and mergers and acquisitions. He lived and worked in Australia, Asia and Europe. He now consults to businesses along the Australia/Asia Pacific/Europe/UK axis and sits on boards.
Nigel started his career as a solicitor in the City of London and was an associate and partner with Minter Ellison in Sydney, London, Beijing and Hong Kong.
More recently, Nigel has built and led 2 professional services businesses. He co-founded and managed Peregrine Law in the UK, which was acquired by Nexa in January 2020, where he served as CEO until 2024 (he remains on the board as a non-executive shareholder director).
Christine Holman
PGDipBA, MBA, FAICD
Independent Non-executive Director
Audit and Risk Committee Chair
Christine is a non-executive director with over 35 years’ of experience across media, property, industrial, infrastructure and technology sectors. She is on the Board of AGL Limited, one private company, Indara Pty Ltd, which is a joint venture between Australian Super and Singtel. She was appointed by ASIC to an expert panel, one of three members tasked with assessing governance, capability, and risk management at the ASX.
Christine also sits on the Boards of not-for-profit organisations, which include the State Library of New South Wales Foundation and the McGrath Foundation.
In her previous executive capacity as both CFO and commercial director of Telstra Broadcast Services, Christine brings a deep understanding of legacy and emerging technologies and digital transformations. During her time in private investment management, Christine assisted management and the Board of investee companies on strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, leading due diligence teams, managing large complex commercial negotiations, and developing growth opportunities.
Christine has an MBA and Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from Macquarie University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Robert Kaye SC
LLB, LLM
Independent Non-executive Director
People, Culture and Nominations Committee member
Robert Kaye SC is a barrister, mediator and professional non-executive director. Recognised for his strategic and commercially focused advice, Robert has acted for a wide range of commercial enterprises – both public and private – across the retail, FMCG, property development, mining, engineering sectors and media.
Drawing on his experience as a senior member of the NSW Bar, including service on the Professional Conduct Committee and Equal Opportunity Committee, Robert brings a strong focus on board governance and a deep understanding of board processes. He also has significant cross-border experience, including corporate restructuring and mergers and acquisitions across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand.
Robert is a Non-executive Director of ASX-listed companies Magontec Limited and FAR Limited, and was recently appointed Chair and Independent Non-executive Director of Sydney Markets Limited.
He was formerly Non-executive Chair of Spicers Limited and has served as a Non-executive Director of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited, UGL Limited, HT&E Limited, as well as Chair of the Macular Disease Foundation Australia.
Kevin Perkins
MBA
Non-executive Officer
People, Culture and Nominations Committee member
Kevin is a highly experienced executive in the quick service restaurant and casual dining segments of the Australian restaurant industry. He has had more than 40 years’ experience with the Collins Foods Group, having overseen its growth both domestically and overseas over that time.
Kevin is the Non-executive Chair of Sizzler USA Acquisition, Inc. Sizzler USA Acquisition, Inc operates or franchises Sizzler restaurants across the United States and Puerto Rico.
Meredith Scott
BEc., FCA, GAICD
Independent Non-executive Director
Audit and Risk Committee member
Meredith is a highly experienced director and senior executive with more than 30 years’ experience in professional services, governance, financial oversight and strategic transformation. Her appointment strengthens the Board’s capabilities across consumer-facing businesses, digital commerce, risk management and financial governance.
Meredith spent more than three decades with Ernst & Young (EY), including as a Partner, where she held several senior leadership roles advising boards and executive teams across the consumer, retail, hospitality and financial services sectors. During this time, she worked extensively with large consumer brands and multi-site operators on matters including financial reporting, operational performance, supply chain resilience, digital transformation and regulatory compliance.
Through her advisory and board career, Meredith has developed deep expertise in customer focused businesses with complex operating footprints, including businesses operating franchise and multi-location models similar to those in the quick service restaurant sector.
Meredith also serves as a Non-executive Director of Zip Co Limited, an ASX-listed digital payments and consumer finance platform, where she contributes to board oversight of strategy, financial performance, audit and risk management in a regulated and technology-enabled consumer environment. Her experience provides valuable insight into digital payments, data-driven customer engagement and evolving consumer behaviour, all of which are increasingly important to modern quick service restaurant businesses.