The inaugural head of Australia’s first independent, national environmental data and information office, dubbed the “Australian Bureau of Statistics for nature”, is Dr Jane Coram.
Dr Coram took up the role at Environment Information Australia (EIA), which sits within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, after five months as a strategic advisor in the department.
Before moving to the Department, Dr Coram served as the CSIRO’s land and water business unit director for four and a half years. Her previous roles include National Measurement Institute chief executive and Geoscience Australia’s acting chief scientist.
EIA received $51.5 million over 4 years in the 2023 federal Budget to produce and provide accessible and reliable data on the environment, including threatened species, vulnerable ecosystems, and the state of our environment.
In June, Environment and Water minister Tanya Plibersek described the agency as “an Australian Bureau of Statistics for nature”.
The Australian Technology Network of Universities has reappointed Luke Sheehy as executive director for another five years. In his upcoming term, Mr Sheehy will oversee the delivery of a five-year strategy.
Mr Sheehy first joined the peak body in June 2019, moving from his role serving as an adviser to Ms Plibersek, then shadow minister for education.
He is also on the advisory board of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering’s Elevate Program, and has spent a year working as a consultant on education and innovation for the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines.
As reported by InnovationAus.com, Industry and Science minister Ed Husic on Wednesday announced the appointment of the eight-membered National Reconstruction Fund board, which will be chaired by CEFC founding director and former chair of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Martijn Wilder.
At the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Felicity Ryan has been appointed as the assistant secretary overseeing the Net Zero Economy Agency. Ms Ryan moves from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, meanwhile, has a new assistant secretary for IT and data in Lisa van der Plaat.
Tesserent, the largest listed cybersecurity firm in Australia and New Zealand, appointed Silas Barnes as senior partner offensive security services, Kelly Taylor as director of partners and alliance, and E-Yang Tang as senior partner for security architecture, engineering, analytics, and alliances.
Mr Barnes has previously served as chief information security officer at Virgin Australia and Airservices Australia. Ms Taylor’s last role was as Microsoft Australia’s director for security solutions, while Mr Tang moves from IT consulting firm CGI where he was chief technology officer cybersecurity.
Sydney-headquartered IT project delivery and consulting firm Avec has appointed Anthony Tockar as practice lead for data and AI. Mr Tockar spent the last five and a half years as a director at machine learning consulting firm Verge Labs.
Last month, Microsoft’s Asia regional leader for defence and intelligence Andy Wood joined the Advisory Council of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Mr Wood was previously on the Western Australian council for the Australian Information Industry Association between December 2020 and February 2023.
The new Australian Transport Safety Bureau Commission’s aviation commissioner is Peter Wilson, a former Qantas chief pilot and chief operating officer. After retiring from flying he worked as a consultant and as interim chief executive and chief operating officer of Tigerair.
Airservices Australia has appointed retired Air Marshall Melvin Hupfeld and Associate Professor Nicolle Connely to its board. Ms Connelly is also assistant associate dean of Aerospace engineering and aviation at RMIT University.
Western Australia-based high purity alumina business ChemX Materials has appointed Peter Lee as its new chief executive. Mr Lee previously served as chief operating officer.
