Dr Cathy Foley and David Thodey are InnovationAus award Patrons


James Riley
Editorial Director

Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley and CSIRO chair David Thodey have taken on the joint roles of Patron for the inaugural InnovationAus.com 2021 Awards for Excellence.

With entries now closed for the 2021 and judging already underway, attention now turns to the unveiling of the first winners across 12 categories at a black-tie gala dinner being held in Sydney on November 18.

Dr Foley and Mr Thodey will make presentations on the Awards night and have kindly agreed to meet and mingle with our outstanding finalists.

Cathey Foley David Thodey
InnovationAus Awards Patrons: Australia’s chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley and CSIRO chair David Thodey

“These awards were designed to have a very distinct research translation flavour to them, and to have Australia’s Chief Scientist and the chair of the iconic national science agency make themselves available to help celebrate these incredible innovators is an absolute delight,” said InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod.

“By design, these awards have been mapped to government’s areas of focus for industrial policy. Our goal is to raise the profile of the Australian heroes who are making a real difference through the translation of ideas into commercial success or social impact,” Ms McLeod said.

“These awards are the ‘doers’ in Australia – from the scientists and researchers to the entrepreneurs and business-people – who are creating new companies and new industries, and who are leading the transformation of the economy from the front.”

“There is so much to be grateful for in this country, and so much to be excited about. To have Dr Cathy Foley and David Thodey agree to be Patron of our InnovationAus.com 2021 awards is very humbling.”

Dr Foley started her role as Australia’s Chief Scientist in January 2021, having previously been Chief Scientist at the CSIRO. She began her career in Physic via a PhD paper on the semiconductor Indium Nitride from Macquarie University.

Dr Foley has won numerous accolades and awards over her career, none more so than for her work on electro-magnetic sensor tech that resulted in the CSIRO’s patented LANDTEM system used to locate valuable minerals deep underground such as nickel sulphide, silver and gold. Incredibly, this system has led to mineral discoveries worth more than $6 billion.

David Thodey is one of Australia’s best known and most trusted business leaders. He is a long-time chief executive of Telstra (until 2015) and before than was CEO of IBM Australia.

Mr Thodey was appointed at CSIRO chair in 2015 and has helped steer one of the most transformative and productive periods in its history. He has also been chair of Tyro Payments, chair of cloud accounting giant Xero, and is on the global board of Vodafone.

The inaugural InnovationAus.com 2021 Awards for Excellence were launched in May as a way to put a spotlight on the companies and people who are building new enterprises, and in the process creating jobs, creating wealth across the economy, and in the process building new industries.

These awards have a focus on the local development and commercialisation of intellectual property: The creation of innovation new products and services that deliver commercial success or outstanding social impact.

The InnovationAus.com 2021 Awards for Excellence are supported by key sponsors: Verizon Business Group, Sitecore, Squiz, Microsoft Australia, CSIRO, Okta, Mimecast, Agile Digital, Wrays, the Innovation Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC), and Digital Health CRC.

Our Awards categories are:

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Cybersecurity
  • Food and AgriTech
  • MedTech and Biotechnology
  • Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS)
  • Energy and Renewables
  • Space and Remote Automation
  • Defence Industry
  • Research Translation Award
  • People’s Choice Award
  • Australian Hero Award

You can find out more about the InnovationAus.com 2021 Awards for Excellence Board of Advisors as well as its incredible panel of judges by visiting the Awards website.

Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.

Leave a Comment

Related stories