25 March 2026
The case for curiosity: a conversation with RME’s new CFO, Jade Gardiner
New RME CFO, Jade Gardiner shares insights on leaders who inspired her, early impressions of RME’s people and Customers, her leadership philosophy, and ideas on how to remove structural barriers to participation.
In January 2026 Jade Gardiner joined Russell Mineral Equipment (RME) as Chief Financial Officer, bringing global experience and rigour in finance leadership, strategic planning and business transformation to a Company renowned for its engineering excellence.
In this conversation, Jade reflects on the leaders who inspired her, shares her early impressions of RME’s people and Customers, and outlines a leadership philosophy rooted in purpose, clarity and trust. She also considers what the United Nations Women Australia 2026 International Women’s Day theme ‘Balance the scales’ means for business and society.
Curiosity as a guiding principle
Jade’s career trajectory has been guided less by a linear plan and more by a willingness to step into roles that stretched her. She describes being inspired by leaders “who are never satisfied with the status quo — the ones who are always looking for ways to do things better and remain deeply curious.” That curiosity has been a north star.
“Asking questions doesn’t make you look silly — it actually shows you’re listening, thinking deeply and wanting to add value to solving the problem,” she says.
Jade has also been inspired by women who took on big roles before they felt entirely ready. “I’ve been particularly inspired by female leaders who have backed themselves in big roles and shown that confidence, resilience and a willingness to keep learning can take you further than perfection ever will,” she says. Those examples also helped her embrace the non-linear nature of modern careers: “Having the confidence to step into opportunities that sit outside a traditional path can often be what sets you up for your next stage of growth.”
A shared purpose with RME
Jade was drawn to RME for its combination of heritage and innovation. “It’s an iconic Toowoomba business, with a global presence, and culture of innovation and continuous improvement,” she says. She is focused on ensuring the value of the Commercial Services Team is visible across the business and clearly linked to growth.
Jade’s early weeks at RME have reinforced that optimism. “What has stood out to me most is the breadth and depth of intellect across the organisation and the genuine passion people have for the Company and what it’s trying to achieve,” she observes. That intellectual capital, combined with a practical appetite for innovation, is part of what she thinks gives RME its competitive edge.
“I’ve been really impressed by the strong desire to innovate and find better ways of doing things, particularly in making processes in the mining industry safer and more efficient.”
As Jade shares her early impressions, she also emphasises the global and operational complexity RME’s Customers face. “They operate in complex environments across many regions and they have more options in the market than ever before, but there is a strong level of trust in our brand and the quality of what we deliver.” She adds that proximity also matters to RME’s Customers, whether that is “having our people on site or being easily accessible when they need support.”
RME’s Customers are laser focused on safety and productivity so “the partners they work with must support both of these priorities too”.
Leadership through purpose, clarity and trust
Jade leads with authenticity and strong values, clear, pragmatic thinking, and connects people and perspectives so teams can work collaboratively to deliver practical outcomes. Her leadership philosophy is simple: purpose, clarity and trust. “It’s imperative that all team members have a real understanding of the team’s purpose and how it fits into the broader enterprise-wide vision,” she says. That clarity, paired with clear priorities, is how she intends to align commercial services with RME’s strategic goals.
“Trust is an absolute must — my team must trust that I’m sharing information, supporting them and feel that they have a safe environment to share their thoughts.
I’m a collaborative and delegative leader and I think that reflects the trust I have in my team.” For employees, that translates into psychological safety and a deeper understanding of how their work creates value. For Customers, it means more responsive service: teams that understand upstream and downstream consequences and can act with both speed and foresight.
Jade is also a pragmatist when it comes to balancing immediate operational needs with long-term transformation. She advocates a continuous improvement mindset that captures quick wins while protecting capacity for strategic initiatives. “I encourage the team to step back and think about how we work — looking for low-hanging fruit to improve operations and free up capacity — often through simply asking questions like why are we doing things, what value do they create, and how long will they take,” she explains. “I strongly believe in a continuous improvement mindset that allows us to keep evolving how we work, prioritising time sensitive operational initiatives alongside longer-term strategic initiatives, to ensure we can confidently fund and deliver both.”
Balancing the scales for every person
The United Nations Women Australia 2026 International Women’s Day theme for 2026, ‘Balance the scales’, resonates with Jade’s experience and leadership convictions. “Every person, regardless of gender, should have the opportunity to contribute, be heard and feel safe in the environments they live and work,” she says. For her, balancing the scales is not about advantaging one group but removing structural barriers so everyone can participate fully:
“It’s about creating fairness through removing the barriers so everyone can succeed based on their capability.”
That perspective ties back to Jade’s earlier career lessons: ask questions, be authentic and step into opportunities. “Challenging old assumptions, creating inclusive environments and encouraging diverse perspectives will ultimately make society stronger,” she argues. In practical terms at RME, that means “continuing to build a culture where collaboration, listening and diverse viewpoints are treated as strengths”.
RME’s aspiration ‘to improve the human condition through responsible access to metals at lower cost’ aligns closely with Jade’s personal values of purpose, integrity and continuous improvement. “The focus on ‘responsible’ is particularly important to me because it reflects a commitment to doing things the right way –– finding smarter, safer and more efficient ways to operate while supporting the broader role metals play in modern life,” Jade says.
A blueprint for impact
As Jade settles into her new role at RME, her emphasis on curiosity, continuous learning, authenticity and collaboration promise to continue to translate the technical excellence of the Company’s commercial services into safer, more productive outcomes for RME’s Customers and even more fulfilling roles for her team. “I see such a passionate and highly capable group of people who have enormous potential and a genuine desire to learn, improve and continue to raise the bar,” Jade observes. “I value our shared ambition to transform and grow the Company into something even more impactful and exciting for the future.”
At RME, curiosity is more than a mindset — it’s how we grow, innovate and create meaningful impact. If you’re someone who asks questions, challenges the status quo and wants to be part of something bigger, you’ll feel right at home here.
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