The RAA has taken over naming rights of Adelaide’s iconic Westpac building

A popular SA organisation that's outgrown its current HQ has taken on the naming rights of one of the city’s most prominent buildings, Westpac House. See who’s moving in.

The RAA has taken over the naming rights for one of the city’s most prominent buildings and will move about 200 staff into the CBD as it continues to go from strength to strength.

The organisation, which has almost 800,000 members across South Australia, has signed on for the naming rights for what was previously the Westpac building at 91 King William St.

It is arguably the city’s most recognised naming rights site having also hosted SA’s largest company, Santos, as its major tenant and naming rights holder at one point.

RAA chief executive Nick Reade said the organisation was “bursting at the seams’’ at its Mile End headquarters, and would be leasing a few floors of the building also, with staff to move in next year once fit-outs were complete.

RAA chief executive Nick Reade. The organisation will be taking over naming rights for what was the Westpac building in the city. PICTURE: Morgan Sette

Westpac House is getting a new name. Photo: The Advertiser/ Morgan Sette.

“It was a great opportunity,’’ Mr Reade said. “From a signage perspective it only comes around once every 20 years or so.

“We’re in the top few brands in South Australia so it makes sense from that perspective.’’

With the RAA now including its traditional roadside assistance service, but also travel, insurance, and solar and battery divisions, Mr Reade said staff numbers were on the rise.

“The underlying story for us is about growth,’’ he said.

“We’ve run out of space at Mile End, we’re bursting at the seams there as we continue to grow our various businesses.

“This move into the city is giving us some growth space.’’

The RAA now employs about 1200 people.

Mr Reade’s former colleague from his time as chief executive of BankSA, Ben Owen, has recently joined the RAA, and will be heading up the energy division.

RAA CEO Nick Reade with the old Westpac building towering behind. Photo: The Advertiser/ Morgan Sette.

Mr Reade said more details would be released in the New Year, but the organisation was keen to focus on cost of living pressures and how technologies such as home monitoring could help its members.

“We’re already in solar and batteries but we’re looking at broader energy,’’ Mr Reade said.

“We haven’t made any firm commitments yet but on a macro level we want to have an impact on cost of living.

“We’re going to trial some offerings, particularly we are looking at ‘sensoring up’ the home, and advice and consulting to households about energy usage and how to optimise that in the home.’’

With the data collected from various sensors around the home, insights can be derived about how well appliances are working, and how they can be used more efficiently, Mr Reade said.

The new signage at 91 King William is expected to be in place from mid-2023.