Tech Council of Australia chief executive Damian Kassabgi will step down after just 16 months in the role, capping a tumultuous period for the country’s peak technology industry body.
Mr Kassabgi announced his departure in a note to TCA members on Wednesday, but will remain in the role while a replacement is found, a process that is expected to run into the new year.
The successful tech executive and former advisor to prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard joined the TCA in April 2024, replacing vocal inaugural TCA CEO Kate Pounder.
Mr Kassabgi came to the TCA from Northern Rivers Ventures, a startup-focused venture capital firm. He has also worked stints in senior public policy roles at Google, Uber, Afterpay, and Block in the United States and Singapore.
On Wednesday, Mr Kassabgi said his time at the TCA “has been (and continues to be) a great experience”, but that he was looking to spend less time commuting from his home in Byron Bay.
“… the reality for me being in regional Australia with a young family means that I am looking to find a better and healthier balance (than being on planes all the time),” he said on LinkedIn.
“I have advised the TCA board that I am stepping down as CEO and look forward to leaning in as I support the transition to a new CEO, well into the new year.”
Mr Kassabgi has faced several leadership tests during his time at the TCA, including last year’s Richard White saga, where the lobby was criticised for not removing the former CEO of WiseTech.
Then, this year, TCA head of policy and strategy, Harry Godber, was forced to step down just over six months into the role over domestic violence-related charges.
Mr Kassabgi on Wednesday said he is proud of having played a “small but vital role in such an important sector” and is excited that the TCA has been able to expand its membership and financial position under his watch.
“I’ll always be one to promote and support the TCA in any capacity, especially as we change the conversation on AI, and ensure we take our piece of the innovation pie,” he said in a note to members.
“I’ve never been more confident about the future of Australian Tech, especially with the growth of emerging companies in climate and health.”
In a statement, the TCA chair Scott Farquhar said “Damian has been a valued contributor and asset to the TCA and Australia’s tech sector”, and that the board wishes him “every success going forward”.
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