Charles Sturt University has announced a former senior mandarin as its next vice-chancellor while Western Australia’s top cop will lead the state’s vaccine rollout.
Renée Leon, a former secretary of the Department of Human Services and the Department of Employment, will take over as vice-chancellor of Charles Sturt University next week.
Ms Leon has also led the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety, is a fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, and an adjunct professor at the University of Canberra.
She was among the five Commonwealth secretaries to lose her job in Coalition Government’s APS restructure in 2019 that saw 18 departments shrink to 14. She worked as a principal at customer service advisory Leon Advisory before being announced as the new CSU vice-chancellor this week by chancellor Dr Michele Allan.
“She has demonstrated her skills in effectively running large and complex organisations with multiple stakeholders and is the right person to lead Charles Sturt University into the next stage of our development,” Dr Allen said.
Ms Leon said she was excited to join the leading regional university at a time when regions are playing a more important national role.
“I’m looking forward to working with an academic team who is committed to the development of the University to meet the challenges ahead,” she said.
The former mandarin will have fewer job security fears than the current ones, after a warning from Opposition leader Anthony Albanese that the top of the APS would have no guarantee of remaining under a Labor government.
The Western Australia government has appointed its police commissioner to the new role of “Vaccine Commander”.
Chris Dawson will remain the State Emergency Coordinator but step back from his day to day work as police commissioner to lead the rollout until at least the end of the year.
As Vaccine Commander, Mr Dawson will be responsible for the state’s delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination program, including engaging with Commonwealth, state and non-government sectors.
“The Police Commissioner has done a tremendous job throughout the pandemic, and I have full confidence he will continue to excel and deliver on this important task ahead, as both the State Emergency Coordinator and Vaccine Commander,” Premier Mark McGowan said this week.
Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch will be directed by Commissioner Dawson to undertake day-to-day duties of the Police Commissioner for this period.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor this week announced the reappointment of Ms Leeanne Bond as a non-executive Director of Snowy Hydro Limited (SHL) for a three-year term.
Ms Bond joined the SHL Board in 2015, serving as a non-executive Director.
The CSIRO’s newly established Quantum Technologies Future Science Platform has found its first director with the appointment of Dr Jim Rabeau. Dr Rabeau is a former Sydney University professor and deputy director of the Sydney Nano Institute for Industry, Innovation and Commercialisation.
Long time chief executive of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) Teresa Corbin is leaving the communications consumer advocate for a new role at Telstra.
Ms Corbin, who led ACCAN for more than a decade and has held senior roles there since 2002, will join the telco giant as its chief advocacy officer. She told CommsDay it was an opportunity to push for change from the inside.
“I’ll be building on the work they’re already doing and that’s been done in the past,” she said. “It’s really doing much of what I do now, but more focused specifically on Telstra as customers.”
Bank of New Zealand chief executive Angela Mentis will move to its Australian parent NAB in a brand new technology leadership role of group chief digital, data and analytics officer.
From October, Ms Mentis will work across divisions to “ensure the extensive data collected by NAB is used to create better customer experiences and deeper personalisation”, the bank said in a statement.
She will report to NAB group chief executive Ross McEwan.
Superannuation giant HESTA has appointed former Defence chief information officer Peter Lawrence to lead its technology and digital team
Mr Lawrence was Defence’s information chief for nearly five years to 2017.
US Data firm Confluent has announced the appointment of Jill Macmurchy as vice president of solutions engineering for APAC.
Based in Sydney, she will be responsible for identifying, creating and expanding revenue for Confluent in the APAC region, working alongside vice president of APAC, Damien Wong.
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