[2] Cadell was the event manager for the Newcastle National Maritime Festival from 2002 to 2004.
[3][4] He subsequently worked in motorsport sponsorship, including as manager for former F1 driver Alex Yoong,[5] before joining National Rugby League (NRL) team Newcastle Knights as sponsorship manager in June 2005.
[7] In 2020, Cadell was hired by the Port of Newcastle as special projects director.
[8] He was tasked with lobbying the New South Wales state government for the development of a deepwater freight container terminal in Newcastle.
[2] In June 2021, Cadell won preselection as the National Party's lead Senate candidate in New South Wales at the next federal election.