The new chief economist of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is Dr Lilla Csorgo, who comes to the role with almost 30 years’ experience in competition economics.
Dr Csorgo is leaving the role of chief economist at the Competition Bureau of Canada. She has also previously served as the New Zealand Commerce Commission’s chief economist and the Hong Kong Competition Commission’s head of economics and policy.
Prior to her role in Canada, Dr Csorgo spent almost three years at private consultancy Charles River Associates.
ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb on Friday said “Dr Csorgo is a highly skilled economist, and the ACCC will benefit from her extensive experience across different jurisdiction”.
Following the retirement of Peter Woolcott as APS Commissioner, Dr Gordon de Brouwer will take up the role for a five-year term on May 11. Dr de Brouwer is currently Secretary for Public Sector Reform and previously served as a member of the 2018 Thodey Review panel.
Dr De Brouwer has more than 35 years of leadership experience in public policy. He has served as secretary of the then Department of the Environment and Energy, and has held other senior roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Treasury, the Australian National University and the Reserve Bank of Australia.
The inaugural head of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise is Air Vice-Marshal Leon Phillips, who will be promoted to Air Marshal when he begins in the role on May 8. The appointment of a senior officer solely in charge of leading the GWEO Enterprise was a recommendation of the Defence Strategic Review.
Air Vice-Marshal Philips has been in the Royal Australian Air Force for more than 36 years, with much of that time spent “delivering highly complex aerospace projects and managing their in-service support”.
Embattled former Coalition minister Stuart Robert announced on Saturday that he will resign from federal politics within weeks, ending his representation of the seat of Fadden in Queensland, which he has held since 2007. Mr Robert has been under fire for his connection to Robodebt and an alleged lobbying scandal relating to procurement contracts at Services Australia and the National Disability Insurance Agency.
The new chair of Universities Australia (UA) is University of South Australia vice-chancellor and president professor David Lloyd. Professor Lloyd is the current deputy chair and will begin his new role following the UA general meeting on May 31, replacing La Trobe University vice-chancellor and president Professor John Dewar.
Seeking appointment to the UA board are Professor Carolyn Evans, Professor Adam Shoemaker, Professor Renee Leon, and Professor Pascale Quester. Seeking reappointment are Professor Margaret Sheil and Professor Atilla Brungs.
Former New South Wales customer service and digital minister Victor Dominello has been appointed as the inaugural director of the Trustworthy Digital Society Hub run by the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology Sydney. This is Mr Dominello’s first role since leaving politics.
Swinburne University’s inaugural associate deputy vice-chancellor research and chief of defence innovation is Distinguished Professor Saeid Nahavandi. Professor Nahavandi was the founding director of the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation and is the co-chair of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Industry and Innovation Forum.
The new chair of the Australian Technology Network of Universities is Curtin University vice-chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne, who replaces Deakin University vice-chancellor Professor Iain Martin.
Australian Naval Infrastructure managing director and chief executive Andrew Seaton has been reappointed for another five years. He has held the role since 2020.
Former Service NSW boss Damon Rees has been appointed non-executive director at infrastructure services provide Ventia. Mr Rees is also currently leading a review of the government’s troubled modernising business registers program.
The new Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission executive director intelligence and information systems is former Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment, and Water chief information officer Heidi Madden.
Former and founding chief executive of the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre Ciaran Martin has been appointed as the chair of CyberCX’s new UK entity. Mr Martin also previously served as the UK Government Communications Headquarters head of cybersecurity and director of security and intelligence at the Cabinet Office.
Western Australian state-owned energy company Synergy’s new chair is Michelle Shepherd, while the new deputy chair is Yasmin Broughton. Ms Shepherd has been the Australian Energy Market Commissioner since June 2018. Ms Broughton is a lawyer who serves as a serial board director in Western Australia.
Australia’s new high commissioner to Singapore is Allaster Cox. He took on the role in mid-April, replacing former Tasmanian premier Will Hodgman. Mr Cox is a career public servant who has been at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade form more than 35 years.
Paul Hodgson has joined the advisory board of the bid to establish a Scaling Green Hydrogen Cooperative Research Centre, moving out of the interim chief executive role. He is currently also chair of the Queensland Manufacturing Institute.
Former Queensland Small Business Commissioner Maree Adshead is now the chief executive of Eco-Markets Australia. Ms Adshead was appointed the first Queensland Small Business Champion in December 2016, before becoming commissioner in May 2020. She stepped down from the role in December 2022.
Responsible Metaverse Alliance founder Dr Catriona Wallace announced she will be taking a six to nine month sabbatical from her “accrue market facing role” to work with “Indigenous leaders in Australia and other countries re the future of tech and humanity”.
Former Australian Ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos has joined strategic advisory The Asia Group and will lead the newly established Australian office. Mr Sinodinos served as ambassador to the United States between February 2020 and March 2023.
Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.