Telstra has continued to build out its AI leadership, appointing former federal Treasury advisor Dayle Stevens as its first executive for AI engagement and advancement.
The long-serving tech executive joined Telstra in 2021 as executive for cloud, data and shared technology, and most recently served as the telco’s executive for data and AI.
In a LinkedIn post about the appointment, Ms Stevens said her focus would build Telstra’s long term AI agenda, including regulation and governance.
Beginning her career as an accountant at building giant CSR, Ms Stevens went on to work at consultancy PwC, before climbing the ranks at NAB to become divisional chief information officer, and then general manager for data and AI at energy firm AGL.
Ms Stevens also spent a year on federal Treasury’s energy advisory committee to the data standards body, and has guest lectured at Cambridge.
Telstra’s former product executive Joanna Knox will replace Ms Steven as its executive for data and AI.
“These new roles for Jo & I are a clear signal that Telstra is doubling down on AI executive leadership,” Ms Stevens said.
The appointment of the federal AI Safety Institute’s (AISI) inaugural managing director Dr Kate Conroy barely been public a week, but her name has already been raised at Senate Estimates.
An AI expert, having held plum AI roles across Australia’s Defence ecosystem and within the Queensland government, Dr Conroy’s position at the top of one of the federal government’s central AI organisations drew the attention of ACT Senator David Pocock, who queried the lack of government fanfare around the major appointment.
Senator Pocock also raised questions about Dr Conroy’s current part time role as responsible AI lead for the Royal Australian Air Force, learning as a RAAF reservist Dr Conroy would be able to seek leave to fulfill her military duties.
Dr Conroy graduated Rutgers University in New Jersey with a PhD in epistemology – or “the theory of knowledge” – and ethics in 2013, having previously studied Psychology at Melbourne University.
ServiceNSW chief technology officer Suneetha Bodduluri has announced her departure, exchanging Sydney and the public sector for higher education and the sunshine state.
Ms Boddoluri has ended a glittering 20-year career with the NSW public service, locking in a new role as chief information officer of James Cook University (JCU) in far north Queensland.
A former software developer, Ms Boddoluri has worked across five NSW government agencies over the past two decades, most recently serving as acting chief information officer at the Department of Customer Services and chief digital officer at the NSW Telco Authority.
ServiceNSW last month also lost its chief digital officer Dr Christina Igasto to a new ACT government directorate – Digital Canberra – and is yet to announce interim replacements for that role or Ms Boddoluri’s.
Data transmission innovator Harvest Technology Group has appointed Veronica Bainton, a former manager at defence prime Raytheon, as its new CEO.
Ms Bainton joined HTG in March as a strategic advisor, arriving as the firm began a push into the defence and national security markets.
A University of Sydney Law graduate, Ms Bainton joined Raytheon as a contract manager in 2019, going on to be deputy chair of the Space Industry Association of Australia, and Optus’ director satellite governance and industry engagement.
HTG said Ms Bainton’s experience across defence procurement would be central as it pursued opportunities for its ultra-low bandwidth streaming platform Nodestream across the Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US.
James Walker, a former CEO of defencetech startup DroneShield, will head the advisory board of battery firm 1414 Degrees as it mounts a push into drone development.
Mr Walker led the unicorn drone manufacturer through its ASX float in June 2016, before departing in December that year, going on to co-found Scalare Partners in 2020.
1414 Degrees is named after the point where silica melts, a tip of the hat to their battery technology, which stores renewable energy as heat that can be used for industrial processes like the manufacture of green hydrogen.
The six-person advisory board, which includes veterans of defence primes and aviation firms, and former US government officials, will advise 1414 on plans to commercialise its battery tech across drones, aerospace, aviation and robotics.
KPMG Australia has lost its chief operating officer Eileen Hoggett as the fallout from its whistleblower scandal and its misuse of confidential client data intensifies.
Ms Hoggett exits the global consultancy firm after more than three decades, most of which was spent within its now embattled auditing division.
A succession of promotions were unveiled by the firm this week as it dealt with the loss of its CEO Andy Yates, and audit and assurance chief Julian McPherson, while Greens Senator Barbara Pocock battered Canberra officials with questions on KPMG’s ongoing presence in federal government contracts.
Gayle Dickerson will step into the national managing partner of deal advisory and infrastructure, left vacant by now interim-CEO Stan Stavros, while Scott Guse will replace the departed Mr McPherson.
The Department of Finance on Friday put $270 million worth of federal government contracts with KPMG at risk, declaring a “significant event”, and allowing public sector clients to insist the firm disclose if personnel working on their projects are linked to the latest issues of misconduct.
The Digital Transformation Agency is on the hunt for a new SAP technical lead to oversee implementation of a new cloud-based ERP solution.
In Senate Estimates this week, DTA officials revealed around 60 federal government agencies needed to migrate SAP ERPs to the cloud, including the Departments of Health and Home Affairs, and the Australian Taxation Office.
Digital and IT advisory firm Atturra has appointed Kunal Shah as its chief financial officer. Mr Shah will succeed Herb To, who announced his retirement in March and will leave the role in September.
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