People. Purpose. What’s ahead.

In this edition, we welcome our new CEO, Peter Mitchell, look ahead to two extraordinary 2027 Chain Reaction Challenges, share the latest impact from So They Can, and get to know returning rider Laurence Basell.

Welcoming Peter Mitchell as CEO

We are delighted to welcome Peter Mitchell to the Chain Reaction Challenge Foundation as our new Chief Executive Officer.

Peter joins us with an outstanding track record of leadership across operations, strategy, commercial growth and major event management. Most recently, as General Manager of Club Mandalay, he delivered five years of operational transformation, steering the business through post-COVID recovery, rebuilding financial performance and lifting the golf course’s national ranking from #56 to #49.

Prior to this, Peter held senior leadership roles at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, playing a key role in internationally recognised events including MotoGP, Supercars and WorldSBK championships.

It is this combination of strategic vision, commercial acumen and genuine passion for people that makes Peter such a natural fit for the Foundation. As CEO, he will focus on strengthening our corporate partnerships, expanding our impact and championing purpose-driven leadership across the business community.

Peter’s arrival marks an exciting new chapter for Chain Reaction. We look forward to reaching further, riding stronger and creating even greater change for the kids and families who rely on our community’s support.

Welcome to the team, Peter!

24 April – 1 May 2027

6 teams have already committed to the cause and secured their place in the peloton.

Applications now open – apply now

Only 50 rider positions available for Challenge 1.

8 May – 15 May 2027

5 teams have already committed to the cause and secured their place in the peloton.

Applications now open – apply now

Only 50 rider positions available for Challenge 2.

Creating meaningful change with So They Can

Our charity partner So They Can has been busy creating meaningful change for children and families across Kenya and Tanzania, with some incredible stories of impact to share.

Meet the Ambassadors of Hope

21 Kenyan girls aged 7 to 13 who have escaped the threat of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) and forced child marriage are now in school and being safely supported by So They Can’s local team on the ground. As part of the “Keeping Girls in School” project, the Ambassadors of Hope Initiative supports girls to stay in school while mentoring them to become girls’ rights champions in their own villages.

Watch the video

From Student to Future Pharmacist

Samuel, one of the very first students supported by So They Can, is now in the final years of his pharmacy degree. Last month, Samuel travelled to Sydney alongside Boni, So They Can’s Kenya Country Manager, sharing his story with more than 250 supporters at So They Can’s Annual Sydney Dinner at Sydney Town Hall.

The pair also joined Channel 9’s Weekend Extra to share more about So They Can’s work and the difference access to education can make.

Watch Boni & Samuel’s interview

Stories like these are a powerful reminder of what sustained support can achieve – helping children access education today, while creating opportunities for them to shape stronger futures for themselves and their communities.

A few things about Laurence

1. He calls himself a cycling “commuter” – while leaving out a six-hour cycling world record and a solo ride to Adelaide in under 24 hours.
2. He’s still fiercely competitive on the basketball court in his mid-40s, and that streak also makes an appearance on Zwift.
3. He has one very specific cycling rule: a ride cannot finish on 13 km. Don’t ask us – or him – why.

Outside of Chain Reaction

Life revolves around his wife and two daughters, aged 7 and 8. He coaches their under-9 basketball team. His dream dinner guest is Michael Jordan, his most questionable cycling kit is USPS-era Lance Armstrong, and an ’80s ballad is rarely far from his headphones.

And perhaps that sums up Laurence’s Chain Reaction story better than anything else. What started as an excuse for a great week on the bike has become something much bigger – a community he genuinely values, a cause his family sees the impact of firsthand, and a reminder of what can be achieved when people come together for something beyond themselves.

Four Challenges down, plenty of brutal climbs and questionable cycling purchases along the way – and with number five already locked in for 2027, we’re very glad to have LB back for another one with Team Specialist Risk Group.