RMA Global has replaced its chief executive and moved to a new chair as it targets a simpler, faster and more profitable business across Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The company has set an EBITDA improvement objective for FY27, but has not yet quantified the plan.
- Benjamin Balk appointed CEO with immediate effect
- Ashley Farrugia becomes chair as David Williams moves to a NED role
- Transformation plan targets simpler operations, stronger engineering and greater AI use
- Board aims for a materially stronger FY27 EBITDA result
- Further financial guidance remains pending
RMA Global Limited (ASX:RMY) is changing both its chair and chief executive as it tries to turn its US pivot into a faster-moving and more profitable business. Benjamin Balk takes over as CEO immediately, while Ashley Farrugia becomes chair and incumbent chair David Williams moves to a non-executive director role.
New leadership takes charge of transformation plan
Balk has worked with RMA Global on strategy for the past year and brings two decades of experience spanning product strategy, data commercialisation, digital transformation, software development, marketplaces and technology-enabled business models. Jim Crisera, who has led the company for the past two and a half years, has resigned as CEO but will remain briefly to assist with the handover.
Farrugia said the immediate priorities were to simplify the organisation, increase accountability, strengthen product and engineering capability, and use artificial intelligence to lift productivity and execution speed. The company said it would maintain its strategic focus on Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
FY27 EBITDA ambition lacks quantified milestones
The board’s stated objective is to finish FY27 with a materially stronger EBITDA result and exit the year with a strong EBITDA run rate. That is an objective rather than financial guidance: RMA Global said further guidance would be provided as implementation progresses, without disclosing target earnings, expected cost savings, implementation costs or the anticipated revenue effect of the transformation.
The leadership reset therefore gives investors a clear direction of travel but limited near-term measurement points. The eventual test will be whether organisational simplification and heavier AI use produce visible improvements in execution and profitability without disrupting the company’s operations across its three target markets.
CEO remuneration includes pending equity component
Balk will receive an annual base salary of $425,000 in Australian currency, plus statutory superannuation, and can earn a cash short-term incentive of up to $127,500, equal to 30% of base salary, subject to financial and strategic targets set by the board. A long-term equity incentive will be determined after he starts and announced when granted, leaving a further element of his remuneration to be disclosed.
Bottom Line?
The strategy now has a named leader and a sharper operating brief, but the next meaningful signal will be quantified guidance showing how simplification and AI are expected to translate into FY27 EBITDA.
Questions in the middle?
- When will RMA Global publish financial targets for the transformation and FY27 EBITDA?
- How much of the expected improvement will come from cost reduction, revenue growth or productivity gains?
- What long-term equity package will be granted to Benjamin Balk, and what performance hurdles will it carry?