Outgoing Australian Information Industry Association chief executive Simon Bush has wrapped up his time at the peak representative body with a farewell address at an iAwards ceremony in Sydney.
He said that his last day “ended in a fitting way [at] an event that showcases and recognises innovation across the economy”, he wrote in a LinkedIn post on Thursday afternoon.
Mr Bush led the AIIA through a period of transformation and sector advocacy that coincided with a rapidly evolving regulatory environment for tech companies, particularly around digital skills, sovereign capability and investment. His replacement has not yet been announced.
Scott McNaughton has stepped up as the National Disability Insurance Agency’s acting chief executive role following the departure of Rebecca Falkingham, who has taken personal leave due to illness. The agency this week also began searching for a permanent CEO.
Mr McNaughton’s appointment comes as the agency undergoes scrutiny around spending and seeks structural reform. It is also considering an overhaul of its technology stack that could see it abandon a scandal linked Salesforce system.
Cicada Innovations outgoing chief executive officer Sally‑Ann Williams bid farewell via LinkedIn on Thursday. Ms Williams reflected on her pride in the organisation’s achievements, particularly its role in fostering innovation across science and technology.
As reported by InnovationAus, Ms Williams said her time at Cicada Innovations has been “has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my life” and would be “very hard top”.
The Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development secretary‑general Mathias Cormann has had his term extended by the OECD Council through to 2031. Mr Cormann has served in the role since 2021 after departing the Australian Senate, and has overseen work on global tax reform, climate policy and AI governance.
Fourteen Australian Research Council advisory committee appointments have been announced and are tasked with providing strategic advice on Australia’s research priorities.
The new committee includes representation across academia, industry and public policy, including deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president at RMIT Professor Calum Drummond as chair. The full line up is available here.
Logistics tech firm WiseTech Global has appointed Zubin Appoo as CEO, replacing interim chief Andrew Cartledge. Mr Appoo returns to WiseTech after helping shape its early commercial growth between 2004 and 2018.
Australian Data Centres has appointed Mark Pont as its new CEO. Mr Pont was formerly Microsoft’s international expansion lead of strategic missions and technologies, and has been appointed to grow ADC’s footprint in secure sovereign cloud infrastructure.
Energy software company Kaluza Australia has announced three new leadership positions following the Beige Technologies acquisition, including Judy Stonebridge‑Dunne as vice president of client delivery, Sara Brooks as chief growth officer and Jim MacDougall as chief people officer.
Glyn Davis has joined the board of directors of newly-formed think tank Policy Institute Australia. Mr Davis, formerly secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, brings longstanding experience in higher education, governance and public administration to the organisation.
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