Executive Team

The LeavePlus Executive Team consists of Chief Officer, General Manager, and specialist roles.

LeavePlus’ organisational structure has been designed to encompass a ‘whole of business’ approach in the way we support the business and deliver our services. This structure is supported by the Executive Team to ensure that the organisation is meeting its strategic goals in providing a great experience for members.

The Executive Team members are:

Team Member	Title
Craig Bell	Chief Executive Officer
Lewis Tassone	Chief Financial and Investment Officer
David Lang	Chief Technology and Innovation Officer
Natalie Firth	Chief People Officer
Catryn Tuckwell	Chief Legal and Compliance Officer
Michael Smolders	Chief Product and Experience Officer

Executive Profiles

Craig Bell

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Craig is a seasoned executive with over 35 years of experience in leadership, strategy, and finance-related roles across investment banking, state government, and member-based organisations, both in Australia and overseas. He is passionate about building member-centric organisations and brings a strong commitment to social impact through his leadership.

As CEO of LeavePlus since September 2021, Craig leads the organisation’s strategic direction and transformation, ensuring it delivers long-term value to members and stakeholders across the construction sector.

Before joining LeavePlus, Craig was CEO at Foresters Financial, one of Australia’s largest member-owned friendly societies. He also served as Chief Financial Officer at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Beyond his executive roles, Craig is Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre and former Chair of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

Craig is a Fellow of CPA Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce.

Lewis Tassone

Chief Financial and Investment Officer (CFIO)

Lewis is an accomplished executive with over 20 years’ experience in financial and professional services. He has led diverse portfolios spanning Finance, Investments, Technology, Strategy, and Operations. He is known for shaping long-term strategy while driving operational excellence and sustainable financial outcomes.

Lewis joined LeavePlus in September 2023 as Chief Finance and Investment Officer. He is responsible for the organisation’s financial strategy, investment governance, and the enterprise project management office (EPMO), which supports the successful delivery of strategic initiatives. Core to his role is ensuring alignment between long-term objectives, financial performance, and delivery outcomes.

Prior to joining LeavePlus, Lewis was a Group Executive at Hostplus, gaining valuable experience over a decade leading functions including finance, investment operations, technology, project management, operations, and data and analytics. He has also held senior finance roles at VMIA, NAB/MLC, Mercer, and KPMG.

Lewis is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), a Diploma of Management, and a Diploma in Organisational Leadership.

David Lang

Chief Technology and Innovation Officer

David is a technology leader with over a decade of experience in senior IT roles across diverse industries including automotive, manufacturing, motorsport, membership and not-for-profit sectors. He is passionate about delivering practical, scalable digital solutions that enables business success.

Since joining LeavePlus in February 2022, David has spearheaded the organisation’s Technology and Innovation function, leading significant improvement initiatives that are reshaping the LeavePlus digital landscape. Under his leadership, LeavePlus has accelerated cloud adoption, strengthened cyber security resilience, and modernised IT infrastructure to support scalable, secure, and future-ready operations. David’s strategic vision has been instrumental in embedding innovation across the enterprise, enabling the modern digital platforms, data driven decision making and enhancing service delivery.

David previously held senior technology leadership roles at Movember, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Prodrive Automotive Technology. He brings hands-on expertise in digital systems, cyber security, and business applications.

David holds a Bachelor of Business – Information Systems and Advanced Diploma of Information Technology.

Natalie Firth

Chief People Officer

Natalie is an experienced executive with deep expertise in people leadership, cultural transformation, and organisational design. She brings a strong strategic lens to building modern, high-performing, and values-driven organisations. Known for her authentic and engaging leadership style, she is passionate about creating environments where people and performance thrive together.

As Chief People Officer at LeavePlus, Natalie leads the People and Culture portfolio, responsible for shaping the organisation’s people strategy to enable business transformation and position LeavePlus for future success. Her focus is on building the capability, culture, and leadership required to deliver on strategic priorities. Her remit spans People Operations, Talent, Learning and Development, Internal Communications, and Business Partnering.

Prior to joining LeavePlus, Natalie led People and Sustainability functions at Future Group and Envato, where she guided large-scale transformation, growth, and M&A integration. Earlier in her career, she founded and ran her own consultancy, advising organisations on talent, leadership development and cultural change. Her background across both corporate and entrepreneurial settings gives her a unique perspective on aligning people, purpose, and performance.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Business and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

Catryn Tuckwell

Chief Legal and Compliance Officer

Catryn is an experienced executive, commercial lawyer and company secretary. She enjoys leading operational teams and is known for her pragmatic legal approach and strong governance leadership.

Since joining LeavePlus in May 2022, Catryn has led the Legal and Compliance department, managing the compliance and enforcement functions of the organisation, supporting transformation initiatives, and enhancing our strategic approach as a regulator.

Catryn has held General Counsel and Company Secretarial roles at Arts Centre Melbourne, Scope, and Asahi brands. She is a trusted advisor with a track record of supporting complex transactions and business transformation.

Catryn holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Melbourne. She also holds a Masters of Intellectual Property Law from the University of Melbourne, a Diploma of Financial Markets from FINSIA (now Kaplan) and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance and Risk Management from the Governance Institute of Australia. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a fellow of the Governance Institute.

Michael Smolders

Chief Product and Experience Officer

Michael is an experienced executive director who champions a customer-centric strategy to drive sustainable growth and innovation within organisations. With a product and marketing career spanning over 25 years, he has worked across multiple industry sectors, including financial services, education, consumer retail, and member-based organisations.

Since joining LeavePlus in January 2025, Michael has led the Product and Experience team, responsible for shaping and delivering seamless, innovative, and effective product and service experiences for all employers, workers, and other industry stakeholders in the construction sector.

Michael brings senior leadership experience from OES, CPA Australia, and ING DIRECT. His multi-sector perspective adds depth to the leadership team, helping drive a member-first business transformation that delivers significant value and satisfaction to all LeavePlus members.

Michael is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Master of Business Administration (Strategic Management) and a Bachelor of Business (Marketing).