Members of ACS, the professional association for Australia’s technology sector, have chosen the Chair of the Council of ICT Associations, Nick Tate to replace Dr Ian Oppermann as National President when his two-year term ends next month. His election by the ACS Congress this week is the return of a prodigal son, with Tate previously… Read more »
Annie Parker, the former global head of Microsoft’s startup program, has been appointed executive director of Tech Central, the new innovation hub at Sydney’s Central railway station. Parker was selected for the role following an international search by the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC). The Commission also appointed Liza Noonan, leader of the CSIRO’s ON Accelerator… Read more »
Former Regional Australia Bank (RAB) chief digital officer Rob Hale has joined TrueLayer as the fintech’s Head of Banking. Hale, a banking technology expert, championed the Consumer Data Right (CDR) at RAB, helping make it the first Australian bank to be both a Data Holder and unrestricted Accredited Data Recipient. “It’s been great to be involved… Read more »
Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes has joined actor Russell Crowe and fellow billionaire James Packer as an owner of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club. Cannon-Brookes has taken a one-third stake in Blackcourt League Investments, alongside Crowe and Packer. The business has owned 75% of the Rabbitohs, for the last five year. The club’s members… Read more »
Former Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer has joined the board of AI-based workforce intelligence platform Reejig as chairman Hartzer is carving out a post-banking career in the startup sector. He’s also the chair of Sydney fintech Beforepay, and acts as a se senior advisor to Quantium and Sayers Group. The appointment comes less than a month… Read more »
Every startup founder has heard the advice “fail fast”. But what do you do next and how do you learn from those mistakes? The startup journey can be like a rollercoaster ride: soaring highs when things go right, deep lows when they don’t. The concept of “flearning” – failing, but learning from those mistakes –… Read more »
On this day 12 months ago, having survived Sydney’s initial lockdowns, cocktail lover Vicki Lyon launched her startup dream in a glass, except it came in her own upmarket version of the “goon bag”. Her idea, Sophisticated Cocktail Co, produces a range of ready-to-drink cocktails, which has expanded in the past year to include a… Read more »
Catalyser founder Usman Iftikhar has been honoured as the Committee for Sydney’s inaugural Western Sydney Champion. The awards have been created to recognise people who make Sydney the greatest city in the world across six categories: Global Sydney Culture and Business, Western Sydney Champion, City Visionary, Emerging Leader, and Unsung Hero. Atlassian co-founders Scott Farquhar &… Read more »
FinTech Australia has released an industry policy featuring guidance after consulting with the sector, setting out best practice for parental leave entitlements. The policy says employers should offer 12-week paid parental leave at full pay, including superannuation, with partners entitled to two weeks parental leave at full pay. Under the Fair Work Act, employees (including… Read more »
Canva’s billionaire co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht have acted on their oft-stated goal to give their fortune away after the privately-owned design startup’s valuation nearly trebled to $55 billion today. The duo, who married in back in their home state of WA earlier this year (he’d proposed with a $30 engagement ring two years… Read more »
Comparison website Finder has appointed its first Chief Product Officer, with product executive Damon Pezaro signing on from online lender, Prospa. Pezaro has been tasked with scaling Finder’s product vision and strategy internationally. His more than 20 years of experience includes being CPO at Domain Group. Finder co-founder and chief operating officer, Jeremy Cabral, said… Read more »
Melbourne tech company Envato’s global ambitions are continuing under new CEO Hichame Assi with a New Zealand base being established. The online marketplace business now has 17 staff working remotely across Aotearoa, amid plans to up Envato’s global headcount to more than 100 staff over the next 12 months. Hichame Assi said the company expects… Read more »
Serial entrepreneur Rebekah Campbell seemed to be living her best life. She founded Posse.com. But the one project she hadn’t built to minimum viable product was a life partner and family. In fact, she hadn’t been on a date for 10 years. So she decided to apply her experience in building startups to finding Mr… Read more »
There’s one trait that runs deep in the Australian startup ecosystem and it’s generosity. We are a generous bunch of people who are more than happy to help where we can. It’s that generosity that drew me to this space. My foray into the startups began in Bangkok when I was 19. I’m now 27… Read more »
YBF Melbourne has appointed a blockchain expert-in-residence to help startups better understand the potential of distributed ledger technology. Karen Cohen, deputy chair of the Blockchain Australia Board, has taken on the role, and when the city’s latest lockdown hopefully lifts soon, she’ll be based at the Melbourne CBD co-working facility, where she will offer advice, introductions,… Read more »
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