Q-CTRL founder and chief executive Professor Michael Biercuk is stepping away from his role at the University of Sydney to fully commit to the global growth of his business.
Professor Biercuk has spent nearly 14 years as a Professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum Technology at the University of Sydney and founded Q-CTRL at the end of 2017 to commercialise research undertaken at the Quantum Control Laboratory (QCL).
Dr Ting Rei Tan and Dr Robert Wolf are taking over leadership of the Laboratory with Professor Biercuk expected to continue working with the lab as a collaborator. Both Dr Tan and Dr Wolf were research fellows at QCL and are now Junior faculty members.
Professor Biercuk said handing over leadership of the QCL was “bittersweet ”, having helped establish the world-leading research effort. The laboratory was a part of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems and collaborates with Q-CTRL.
“Now quantum control is the basis of many academic and commercial efforts in the quantum field, including my ongoing work at Q-CTRL. When I started it was little more than a niche of a niche discipline. I’m proud to have played a small role alongside some extraordinary international peers building the discipline within academia,” Professor Biercuk said on LinkedIn.
Anduril Australia and Asia Pacific has appointed retired Rear Admiral Pete Quinn as vice president for strategy. Mr Quinn’s last role was as head of navy capability for the Royal Australian Navy, which he held for more than five years. He was also previously the Australian Defence Force’s head of joint capability management and integraton, as well as the head of joint capability coordination.
The new president and managing director of SAP for Australia and New Zealand is Angela Colantuono, who moves from her position as SAP SuccessFactors’ senior vice president and head for the Asia-Pacific and Japan. Ms Colantuono replaces outgoing managing director Damien Bueno who will focus on global cloud transformation strategy within SAP.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has found a new chief executive in Professor Selina Stead. Professor Stead moves from her role as the United Kingdom government’s chief scientific advisor for the Marine Management Organisation and the University of Leed’s executive dean for the faculty of environment. She will join the AIMS in February for a five-year term.
The new head of the Digital Transformation Agency’s (DTA) digital prioritisation and planning branch is Ben Leech, who was already acting in the role. Mr Leech previously oversaw digital discovery and architecture.
Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley began her second term as Australia’s chief scientist this year after being reappointed at the end of December 2023. Dr Foley first began as chief scientist at the start of January.
The inaugural chief executive of the federal government’s High Speed Rail Authority is Tim Parker, who has more than 30 years working on large infrastructure projects. He moves from his position as head of project delivery at Sydney Metro.
At the Department of Industry, Science, and Resources, Amanda Fortanier has been appointed as the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency’s general manager for safety and technical.
