Leadership transition at KISTERS Australia – Chris Tornatore appointed General Manager of Instrumentation.

Press release: Sydney, Australia – 30 April 2026

KISTERS, the global leader in environmental monitoring and water data solutions, today announced the appointment of Chris Tornatore as General Manager of Instrumentation for KISTERS Australia . Chris succeeds Wally Varela, who is moving on after nine years as General Manager/CFO to take up a new role outside the company. The transition marks the next chapter for KISTERS Australia, combining continuity for customers and partners with a renewed focus on next generation leadership and sustained growth.

Over nine years leading the instrumentation business for KISTERS Australia, Wally Varela built the Sydney-based business into one of the most trusted names in environmental and water monitoring across the Asia Pacific region and beyond. His tenure delivered sustained revenue growth across consecutive years, the successful launch of new products into the APAC market, and the scaling of the local team to support a broader regional footprint. KISTERS thanks Wally for his leadership, his contribution to the industry, and the strong platform he leaves behind.

“It has been a privilege to lead the Australian instrumentation business for KISTERS over the past nine years and to work alongside such a talented team and a customer base committed to managing APAC’s water and environmental future,” said Wally Varela, outgoing General Manager/CFO, KISTERS Australia. “I am proud of what we have built together, and I leave with absolute confidence that Chris is the right person to take this business into its next phase. His industry depth, customer-first mindset and energy for the future of environmental monitoring make him an outstanding successor.”

Chris Tornatore brings a strong combination of industry experience and customer insight to the role. He joined KISTERS Australia a year ago as Sales and Business Development Manager, where he has played a central role in deepening relationships with key utility, government and industry partners across Australia. Prior to KISTERS, Chris spent over a decade at Sydney Water, one of Australia’s largest water utilities, where he worked as a Hydrographer with hands-on responsibility for water monitoring infrastructure and data. He brings that customer-side perspective to KISTERS.

“I am honoured to step into the General Manager role and grateful to Wally for the strong foundation he leaves behind,” said Chris Tornatore, incoming General Manager of the Australian instrumentation business for KISTERS. “We have an exceptional team and I’m genuinely proud that we’ve retained local manufacturing, support and service based in Sydney. I’m excited to build on this foundation as we bring next generation sensors and smarter, more connected equipment to our customers.”

“Australia and the wider APAC region is a strategically important market for KISTERS globally, and Wally has done a remarkable job shaping the business there over almost a decade,” said Klaus Kisters, CEO, KISTERS. “We thank him for his significant contribution and wish him every success in his next chapter. In Chris, we have a leader who understands our customers, knows the industry intimately, and is ideally placed to drive the next phase of growth and innovation for KISTERS.”

About KISTERS

KISTERS is a global leader in environmental monitoring, IT and data management, and water data solutions. For more than 60 years, KISTERS has helped governments, utilities, industry and research organisations measure, manage and make sense of environmental data. With offices across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, KISTERS combines specialist hardware, cloud-based software and consulting expertise to support sustainable water, energy and environmental management worldwide. Learn more at kisters.com.au.