The Arriba
Group
Let’s create the future together
The Arriba Group has a family of companies that have been created to give people their best opportunity in life. The group was founded by Marcella Romero, a strategic, passionate and innovative leader who expanded a one-woman home office to three successful enterprises — Rehab Management, AimBig Employment and LiveBig — with over 525 diverse employees across 150+ offices, all working to deliver quality services to its clients.
Our business is a people business based on the absolute belief that every individual deserves a better future. Our success is predicated on this belief and is at the heart of how we approach each business. We challenge ourselves to ensure our services truly meet and exceed the needs and requirements of our clients where innovation is key.
What we do
Our constant innovation helps individuals, companies and government give people the opportunity they need. The opportunity to create their own future.
Across our three businesses, we provide rehabilitation services to help people recover from and return to work after an accident or illness. We provide specialised allied health and assessment services to support people with disability to meet their goals, connect with community, and build social skills. In addition we work with people with disability and mental health issues to open up work opportunities, through placement in meaningful work, education and training.
Who we work with
Individuals
We help individuals get a start. Through training, finding work, returning to work, or if they have a disability, we work with individuals to live their best lives. We’re there for those who have been injured at work, suffered an illness, need retraining or if they have a disability and need access to allied health services. Our impact transcends more than the individual, as work, a career, and real purpose in life provide a new dynamic to friends, family and the community.
Businesses
We work with companies, insurers and providers at every level. Creating healthy work environments. Providing trained, work-ready individuals. Helping people transition to a new career or transition back to work. Innovating to provide off the shelf solutions that benefit businesses and individuals alike.
Government
We work with state and federal government to help individuals create a better future for themselves. From assistance in providing programs to job retraining to rehabilitation it’s our understanding, experience, whole-person approach and results that set us apart.
Our Purpose
Empowering lives together
Our Mission
To be Australia’s most progressive people-centric company to achieve the best outcomes for all clients.
Our Group Vision
To be the number one nation-wide market leader in occupational rehabilitation, employment, specialist allied health services and provider of choice to our customers and people.
Our Values
Customer-focused
We deliver exceptional customer service for all those we deal with.
People-passionate
Putting people first. People are the core of everything we do.
Quality-orientated
Our solutions measure and deliver proven outcomes.
Innovation-driven
We challenge and disrupt to drive purpose-driven innovation.
Dynamic and agile
Forward-thinking keeps us ahead of the pack; we build fast, learn fast, adapt fast.
Our Leaders
Marcella Romero
Marcella Romero
Driven by the desire to help vulnerable people, Marcella Romero studied occupational therapy & completed a Postgraduate (Occ Rehab) and a Masters in Health Sciences before founding her first company, Rehab Management in 1998.
Marcella expanded her business from a one-woman home office to a successful group employing over 600 people nationally across 150 offices.
Today, Arriba Group comprises three successful enterprises — Rehab Management, AimBig Employment and LiveBig. For over 26 years, Arriba Group has positively impacted the lives of more than 750,000 Australians following injury, disability, or ill health.
Marcella is a strategic, dynamic leader and entrepreneur who puts her business success down to passion, and working harder, longer, and smarter. She is known for challenging the status quo, her collaborative attitude, her willingness to take advantage of opportunities and her ability to take risks to make informed strategic decisions.
Marcella’s family is her touchstone, crediting her husband Craig and their three children for keeping her continually focused on doing her best.
Marcella’s entrepreneurial achievements have been recognised by multiple industry awards, including EY Entrepreneur of The Year™ National Finalists (2023) and CEO & Entrepreneur of the Year from the CEO Magazine Global (2021).
Craig Hartman
Craig Hartman
Craig is a seasoned business leader, director and group advisory board member. With over 18 years’ experience in workplace rehabilitation, disability, employment services and work health, safety & wellbeing. Craig has extensive knowledge across strategic business growth, risk management, talent management and innovation. With a key role in diligence practices and strategic advice for planning, finance, growth and innovation, Craig focuses on helping people to live their best lives. He collaborates with senior leaders to foster an organisation with a social, diverse and community-driven approach.
Glenn Meekin
Glenn Meekin
A CFO of the year Finalist with over 20 years’ industry experience, Glenn oversees Rehab Management’s financial services team, ensuring a streamlined approach to financial and corporate affairs for internal and external clients. Glenn’s highly focused, energetic style is characterised by in-depth allied and corporate health knowledge and strong leadership skills to inspire his team and continually drive the business’ financial success.
Julie Stuart
Julie Stuart
Julie is a purpose and values driven people executive with over 20 years of HR experience in complex local and international business environments across Healthcare, Technology, Media, Professional Services, Financial Services and Higher Education sectors. Julie started her career in Talent Acquisition before moving into HR Leadership roles in both Australia and London . Julie has held senior people roles at Rapid Response Revival, UOW Global Enterprises, Mercer, Salmat and Avanade. She is avid technology enabler, with a passion for growth environments to support the development of employees and leaders.
James Foot
James Foot
James is an experienced information technology professional with over 20 years’ experience, over ten of these in senior leadership roles. He has worked in the government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors and in a wide range of industries including communications, broadcast, aged care, disability, community services and healthcare. During his career, James has led significant business transformation projects, managing the integration of all aspects of information technology for major mergers and acquisitions. When developing and implementing IT strategies, James ensures that they are in alignment with the overall strategy and goals of the business. He is a great believer in enhancing customer satisfaction through customer-centric design.
Louise Genge
Louise Genge
Louise is an experienced marketer with a deep customer-centric approach, with over 20 years’ experience in services marketing. She started her life in advertising working across blue-chip clients. Moving client-side, she has held senior marketing roles at BPAY, BT Financial Group, Austrade and the Benevolent Society. She is a passionate believer in the power of brand to shape the destiny of companies.
Renee Thornton
Renee Thornton
Renee joined Rehab Management as an experienced Occupational Therapist with a background in People & Customer management. Renee has over 11 years experience in Occupational Rehabilitation including workplace rehabilitation consulting, working with employers to mitigate injury-related risks, national account and operational management. In her role as Chief Executive Officer, Renee is responsible for service delivery, innovation, customer and operational management across Rehab Management
Greg Luck
Greg Luck
Greg has an impressive track record as a chief executive with over 25 years of experience in business leadership across Australia, the Asia Pacific, North and South America and EMEA. He has successfully overseen operations and projects in over 24 countries across a wide range of industries including human services, workforce development, automotive, insurance and professional services. Greg is an enthusiastic, inclusive, and forward-thinking leader.
Juliet Middleton
Juliet Middleton
Juliet has extensive experience in the health and disability sector leading high-performance teams, collaborating with Boards and senior management to inspire quality, implement innovative services and demonstrate the highest levels of integrity. She will be leading the LiveBig team in their next chapter of growth and will be driving them to achieve great success over the coming months.
Awards
- # Employer of Choice [EOC®] – The Australian Business Awards
- #4 Best Place to Work Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- Pause Women in Business – Winner, Marcella Romero - Pause Awards
- Pause Company of the Year – Finalist - Pause Awards
- Pause Defiant One – Finalist
- Finalist – Dalby Business Awards for the Education, Employment and Training Award
- PM's National Veterans' Employment Program – Veteran Employee of the Year, longlisted
- Outstanding Consultant Award - New Employer Finalist – Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association NSW
- Excellence in an Individual’s Contribution to Injury Management Winner – WorkSafe Tasmania
- Australian Defense Force Reserves and Employment Support Awards - Winner – Private Enterprise TAS Employer Support
- #7 Most Innovative Company Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- National Finalist, Marcella Romero – EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™
- ABA100® Business Innovation Winner - recognising Australia’s business, innovation & technology leaders – Australian Business Awards
- Business and Industry Solutions Category Finalist – iAwards NSW
- Australian Defense Force Employer Support Awards – Winner
- Educator Excellence Category Finalist – Allied Health Awards
- Customer Service Professional of the Year Finalist – NT Insurance Industry Awards
- Excellence in Injury & Disability Management Finalist – Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF) Awards
- #1 Best Place to Work Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- #10 Most Innovative Company Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- CEO of the Year Winner, Marcella Romero – Executive of the Year Awards, (CEO Magazine ANZ)
- Entrepreneur of the Year Winner, Marcella Romero – Executive of the Year Awards (CEO Magazine ANZ)
- Rehabilitation Counsellor of the Year Winner – Allied Health Awards
- Occupational Therapist of the Year Finalists – Allied Health Awards
- Outstanding Contribution by an Individual Finalist – Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF) Awards
- Consultant of the Year Finalist – Australian Defence Industry Awards
- Business Engagement Award Winner – Business Disability Awards
- Employment & Training Excellence Award Finalist – Dalby Business Excellence Awards (Dalby Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
- #2 Best Place to Work Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- #4 Most Innovative Company Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- Collaboration in Injury & Disability Management Award – Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF) Awards
- Early Intervention Award Finalist – Comcare National WHS Awards
- Veteran Support Program of the Year – Australian Defence Industry Awards
- CEO of the Year Finalist, Marcella Romero – Executive of the Year Awards, (CEO Magazine ANZ)
- #1 Most Innovative Company Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- Excellence & Innovation in Injury Management – icare Industry Champion
- Outstanding Care & Service (Rehabilitation and Support) – icare Industry Champion
- Company to Watch Award Winner, AimBig – Australian Growth Company Awards
- Women in Leadership Award Winner, Marcella Romero – Australian Growth Company Awards
- Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ Asia-Pacific class, Marcella Romero – EY Global
- Managing Director of the Year Winner, Marcella Romero – Executive of the Year Awards, (CEO Magazine ANZ)
- Excellence & Innovation in Injury Management Finalist – icare CASE Awards
- Veteran Support Program of the Year Finalist – Australian Defence Industry Awards
- #8 Most Innovative Company Award – Health Company (Financial Review BOSS)
- CEO of the Year Finalist, Marcella Romero – Executive of the Year Awards, (CEO Magazine ANZ)
- Women in Leadership Award Finalist, Marcella Romero – Australian Growth Company Awards
- Telstra NSW Business Women’s Awards Finalist, Marcella Romero – Telstra Business Awards for Medium and Large Business category
- Telstra NSW Entrepreneur Awards Finalist, Marcella Romero – Telstra Business Awards
- Health Executive of the Year Awards Finalist, Marcella Romero – (CEO Magazine ANZ)
- Excellence & Innovation in Injury Management Finalist – icare Care & Service Excellence (CASE) Awards
- Contribution to Rehabilitation and Return to Work Management by Provider Winner – Comcare WHS Awards