The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) has announced seven new Board members and State Council Chairs from some of the largest, most well-known and respected global and national ICT companies, as well as leading representatives from small to medium sized firms.
“Our invigorated AIIA National Board and our State Councils embody the diversity of the Australian digital economy, including large Australian companies, multinationals and small and medium sized businesses,” said AIIA Chairman and Managing Director of Optus Business, John Paitaridis.
The new Board members include Megan James (CEO, Australian Data Centres); David La Rose (Managing Director, IBM Australia & NZ); Sharryn Napier (Vice President & Regional Director Australia & NZ, Qlik); Angela Fox (Managing Director, Dell Australia & NZ); John Ieraci (Chief Customer Officer, Telstra Enterprise); and Matt Codrington (Managing Director, Lenovo Australia & NZ). This announcement also sees the return of Rob Hillard (Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, Deloitte) as AIIA Board Deputy Chair.
They join existing Board members Charles Lindop, AIIA Treasurer (Principal, KTM Capital); Steven Worrall (Managing Director, Microsoft Australia); Stuart Althaus (Chief Executive Officer, SME Gateway); Mark Nicholls (Managing Director, Information Professionals Pty Ltd); Seelan Nayagam (Managing Director, DXC Technology Australia & NZ); Murray Hurps (Director of Entrepreneurship at University of Technology Sydney); and Ken Boal (Vice President, Cisco).
Commenting on the new Board members, John Paitaridis said: “I am delighted with the composition of the new AIIA Board. The Board members are all recognised leaders in the Australian technology industry bringing together a vast range of skills, industry insights and experiences to support and inspire the AIIA to realise its vision of growing Australia’s social and economic prosperity through technology innovation.
“Our Board aspires to improve advocacy and shape policy for the Australian ICT sector, generate new business opportunities, increase collaboration with other members, and build professional standing.”
Directors are elected for up to three year terms to set strategic direction for the AIIA and work closely with AIIA management to develop the National Business Plan and oversee operational excellence.
“I’m delighted to welcome Megan James to the Board. Megan has played a dynamic role in Australia’s Information, Communications and Technology industry and is a leader in the rapidly expanding and competitive data centre sector,” said Mr Paitaridis.
Mr Paitaridis said he is also delighted that David La Rose and Sharryn Napier have joined the Board. “David brings business acumen and strategic, innovative thinking to his role as Director and great international experience. Sharryn is respected as an authentic leader who motivates and inspires teams as a whole, which will no doubt result in high levels of dedication and commitment within the AIIA.
“Angela Fox is another outstanding addition to the Board as she is a firm believer in diversity in the ICT industry, having launched the Australia and New Zealand Diversity and Inclusion Council, and being a founding member of the APJ Diversity and Inclusion Council.
“John Ieraci is a real asset to the organisation as he has been part of the Telstra Executive Team since 2007 and will no doubt bring his expertise on security, protection and threat intelligence services to the AIIA. Matt Codrington has long been a supporter of the AIIA and I’m excited that he will adding value with his strong transformational experience and ability to identify new opportunities for the AIIA,” added Mr Paitaridis.
The AIIA has established six State and Territory Councils to promote the AlIA’s objectives, programs, policies, interests and objectives within those specific State and Territories. The State and Territory Councils are responsible to the AIIA Board and report to the recently appointed CEO, Ron Gauci.
The AIIA State Chairs for 2019 are:
- Deirdre Diamante, VIC – M.I.A. Consulting Services Pty Ltd
- Greg Boorer, ACT – Canberra Data Centres Proprietary Ltd
- Sharon Brown, WA – Sharon Brown & Associates
- Mark Nicholls, QLD – Information Professionals Pty Ltd
- Matt Wynn-Jones, NSW – Counterparts Technology
- Tim Chopping, SA – SRA Information Technology Pty Ltd
Additional information on new AIIA Board members
Megan James – As CEO at Australian Data Centres, Megan has been instrumental in growing the offering of the company to what it is today, and qualifying it for appropriate panels for Government Business. A highly respected industry executive and passionate human being, Megan lends her time to support and advocate women in business and the burgeoning IT industry.
Commenting on her role as Director, Ms James said: “I’m thrilled to be elected to the AIIA Board as it caps off 25 years in the information technology industry, and I’m genuinely very excited to connect and engage with small and large businesses for a more innovative Australia.”
David La Rose – As Managing Director of IBM Australia and New Zealand, David is responsible for the vision and overall performance of the business in the region. Having worked in the technology industry in Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, he has extensive experience in resolving complex business issues, identifying growth opportunities and a passion for building the skills we need in emerging technology to drive Australia’s innovation agenda.
“Having the opportunity to be part of the AIIA Board to share ideas and define strategies for the benefit of Australia’s innovation agenda is a privilege. With emerging technology playing such a pivotal role in the future of Australia, the plans we put in place over the next couple of years will be critical to our ongoing success and prosperity,” said Mr La Rose.
Sharryn Napier – In her role as Vice President & Regional Director Australia & NZ at Qlik, Sharryn is responsible for driving sustained growth and sales for Qlik’s visual analytics business, and providing strategic direction for the company. She has held senior positions at several global companies over a career spanning 20 years.
Angela Fox – As Managing Director of Dell Australia & New Zealand, Angela is responsible for leading Dell’s efforts to deliver innovative technology solutions to consumers, small and medium businesses, Dell partners, public institutions and large enterprises across the region.
John Ieraci – John has been part of the Telstra Executive Team since 2007. As Chief Customer Officer for Telstra Enterprise in Australia, he is responsible for Sales and Service for 14,000 largest Enterprise and Government Accounts. His goal is to further develop Telstra’s strategic relationship with these customers through technology and service innovation, and business relevant co-creation opportunities.
Matt Codrington – In his role as Managing Director, Lenovo Australia and New Zealand, Matt is responsible for Lenovo’s business within the ANZ region across all Government, Commercial, Consumer and Emerging PC+ segments. Matt works with IT executives who are looking to define strategies that can add value to their business. Matt is able to rapidly build and execute practical solutions for a growing topline and profitable bottom line.
Rob Hillard, Deputy Chair – As Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Deloitte, Robert positions the firm to tackle the disruption of technology, new competitors, challenging economic conditions and changing regulatory priorities. Robert is also a member of the global Deloitte board. His contribution to the Australian technology industry was recognised in late 2014 with his admission as a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society. He has served terms on the AIIA Board and national executive, MIKE2.0 Governance Association board (the Swiss non-profit governance body for MIKE2.0) as well as various university and professional advisory groups.
About AIIA
The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) is Australia’s peak representative body and advocacy group for those in the digital ecosystem. Since 1978 AIIA has pursued activities to stimulate and grow the digital ecosystem, to create a favorable business environment for members and to contribute to Australia’s economic prosperity. We do this by delivering outstanding member value by providing a strong voice of influence; building a sense of community through events and education; enabling a network for collaboration and inspiration; and developing compelling content and relevant and interesting information.
