ACS Queensland State Tech Summit - ICT Professionals & Leaders

President, Australian Computer Society 

Dr Nick Tate is President of the ACS. He has nearly 50 years’ ICT experience, including 20 years in Cybersecurity, 16 years as a CIO/Head of IT at two London banks and the University of Queensland (UQ) and 11 years as head of the Australian Computer Emergency Response Team (AusCERT), which dealt with cybersecurity incidents nationally.  He has taught at Leadership Institutes in Australia and South Africa and was Director of the Future Leaders Institute at the ACS. He is co-author of “A Director’s Guide to Governing Information Technology and Cybersecurity”, an AICD published book and has 20 years’ experience as a Company Director in both Australian and US companies. Nick is an Adjunct Professor at UQ and has a PhD in Cybersecurity. 

Chief Information Officer, Bundaberg Regional Council

Mitch Miller is the current CIO of Bundaberg Regional Council in Queensland, after almost 10 years in education he re-joined local government at the beginning of 2019. With a focus on automation and agility that was required to do more with less in education he has brought a fresh approach and pivoted the team to be improvements focused. Cloud technologies have been key to let the team get on with real challenges rather than dealing with traditional scope and scale issues.
 

Vice President and Regional Chief Security Officer, Palo Alto Networks

Sean is Vice President and Regional Chief Security Officer for Asia Pacific & Japan at Palo Alto Networks where he works on the development of thought leadership, threat intelligence and security best practices for the cyber security community and business executives. 
 

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Digital Twinning Australia

Genéne sits on the IEC panel creating the International Standard for digital twinning. She is also a panellist for Standards Australia, is advising on a proposed new ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre and is an inaugural member of the Digital Twin Consortium. 

Genéne has become a recognised global authority on multi-domain interoperability.  Building on extensive deep applied knowledge and experience Genéne is working with Global and National standards and research teams defining digital twinning, digital engineering, and digitisation.

She also walks the talk as Founder and CEO of Digital Twinning Australia.
 

Director, Dialog Information Technology 

Bob Tisdall graduated from the University of Wales with a degree of Bachelor of Science (Eng) in electronic engineering in 1972 and moved to Australia two years later. He quickly established an IT services company, A I Pty. Ltd., which merged with Dialog in 1987. He became an executive director and shareholder of Dialog, positions he still holds.

Bob is a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and has been the National Vice President of the society. His contribution to the ACS was recognised with an honorary life membership.
 

Immediate Past President, Australian Computer Society 

Dr Ian Oppermann is the ACS President, NSW Government’s Chief Data Scientist and Industry Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).  Ian has 25 years’ experience in the ICT sector.  These include senior leadership roles in Europe and Australia’s the Director for Radio Access Performance at Nokia, Global Head of Sales Partnering at Nokia Siemens Networks, and then Divisional Chief and Flagship Director at CSIRO. Ian is considered a thought leader in the area of the Digital Economy, a champion for the NSW Smart Places Strategy, and a regular speaker on big data.

CEO, Australian Computer Society

Rupert Grayston is the ACS CEO.  Following an 11-year stint at Engineers Australia as the Executive General Manager of Professional Standards and Practice, Rupert held roles at the Office of Professional Standards Council and the Australian Property Institute.  Rupert holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Engineering Management.

Founder and Executive Chairman, Cryptoloc

Jamie's business, Cryptoloc, started out of an experience he had a decade ago, and has gone on to become one of the world’s most innovative encryption technology companies. Headquartered in Brisbane, with offices in Japan, US, South Africa and the UK, Cryptoloc ensures that businesses and their customers can interact securely, with each piece of data assigned its own separate audit trail, and every user and action verified and accounted for. Cryptoloc was rated by Forbes as one of the top 20 cyber startups to watch, globally, in 2020.
 

Managing Director, ATech

Sarah-Jane Peterschlingmann is Managing Director of ATech, an Australian cloud hosting and web development company specialising in mission critical websites for large corporations and government. 
SJ has served on the ACS QLD Branch Executive Committee, CQU ICT Advisory Board, and is Entrepreneur in Residence at iiHub Cairns and SmartHub Rockhampton. 
 

Associate Director Customer Success, Datacom

Over the past 20+ years, Steve has lead teams that delivers great outcomes for Customers through the enablement that IT brings to their business, and this has never been truer than through the Pandemic.

Steve is particularly proud to work in an industry sector that has and will continue to be a huge contributor to humanity, and is always excited about the possibilities of what the next evolution of technology will bring.
 

Managing Director, Mangano IT

As Managing Director at Mangano IT, I provide strategic direction within our business to ensure we remain an agile technology partner for our clients.  I promote our core values of Progressive, Effective, Accountable and Steadfast to deliver innovative technology solutions to improve business outcomes. 
 

Chief Security Officer, Silver Chain; ACS Vice President - Communities Board 

Jo has over 25 years experience in the IT field some of which were spent as CIO in the Utilities space, and 18 in the Information Security arena. She underpins her information technology and security background with her qualifications in education and management.

Jo specialises in consulting in information security issues with a particular emphasis on governance in both the commercial and operational areas of businesses. Jo provides strategic advice to organisations across a number of industry sectors including banking and finance, utilities, automotive manufacturing, tertiary education, retail and government.

Jo has extensive board and committee experience.  She has chaired a number of ISACA’s international committees including the Board Audit & Risk Committee, Leadership Development and Professional Influence & Advocacy.  She served as an Elected Director on ISACA’s international Board of Directors for seven years and was the founder of its global women’s leadership initiative, SheLeadsTech. 
 

Senior Associate, Active Law

Michelle Cowan is an experienced workplace relations lawyer who has advised both employer and employee groups in state and federal jurisdictions. She has expertise in establishing strategic employment standards and in managing workplace disputes in social enterprises and NFPs.Michelle’s legal experience is augmented by her many years of direct management experience in large retail organisations, managing all aspects of the employment lifecycle for large groups of employees. She has the practical experience to provide pragmatic advice about how to navigate the complexities and risks that exist in the area of employment relations. Having worked in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Michelle is skilled in assisting employers navigate matters in that jurisdiction, such as workers compensation, long service leave and wage disputes for private employers not covered by the Fair Work Act.Michelle has a particular interest in workplace bullying and has assisted employers investigate complaints, manage bullying conduct and negotiate resolution of employee bullying applications.Michelle has considerable experience in: Preparing employment contracts;Advising on award interpretation;Advising on employee entitlements;Drafting, implementing and applying workplace policies;Conducting workplace investigations;Advising on managing ill and injured employees;Advising on employment disputes;Advising on employee performance management;Discrimination in employment;Advising on termination of employment;Conducting bullying investigations; andRepresentation in the FWC for unfair dismissal and bullying applications. Michelle gets to the core of the issue and advises on the options available to employers to manage a situation, so they can adopt a strategy that they feel comfortable with and that will meet their organisational objectives. 

Founder, JJP Talent Solutions

Since 1999, I have connected over 1000 IT professionals with leading startups, SMEs and corporates in both Australia and the UK. Over 99% of candidates I place pass their probation period and become highly valued team members thus avoiding the pain and cost of a bad hire.My passion is connecting tech start-ups with software experts. A major barrier to growth for start-ups is finding the right balance of exceptional technical skills with the right cultural fit. Over the last 20+ years, I have gained a thorough understanding of what kind of person thrives in the fast-paced and rapidly changing world of start-ups. Based on my expertise with start-ups, I have been selected as the Preferred Recruitment Partner for ACS QLD and River City Labs. I am also a volunteer mentor at River City Labs to advise and help start-ups grow and succeed.

Founder at SUB.CO, Cloudscene, Superloop, Megaport, NEXTDC and Co-Founder PIPE Networks 

Bevan Slattery, one of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs, has founded some of the nation’s biggest technology success stories. Starting as a co-founder of PIPE Networks, Australia’s largest Internet Exchange and third largest metropolitan fibre network provider, Slattery sold the company to TPG in 2010.

Subsequently, he founded NEXTDC, Australia’s largest data centre operator; Megaport, the global leading elastic interconnection provider; Cloudscene, the world's largest platform for searching cloud and connectivity services; HyperOne, Australia’s first hyperscale national fibre network; Biopixel, Australia’s leading production service provider for natural history and animal behavioural sequences; Superloop, a Pan-Asian infrastructure-based telecommunications provider; SubPartners, a submarine cable operator and Indigo Cable investor; and SUB.CO, an Independent specialist submarine cable development group constructing the new Oman Australia Cable (OAC).

Slattery's entrepreneurial success is highlighted in having listed a record five companies on the Australian Stock Exchange and received many industry awards including EY Champion of Entrepreneurs Award in 2016, National Charles Todd Medal, and the Pearcy Foundations Benson Award as well as being recently inducted into the Commsday Hall Of Fame. In 2019, Slattery was appointed a member of the Cyber Security Industry Advisory Committee.  

Director of Technology Services, Somerville House

Peter is an enthusiastic champion for utilising ICT effectively to facilitate improved organisational outcomes. With a history of 14 years in Hospitality industry and another 20 years in ICT in State, Catholic and Independent schools combined with previous volunteer roles with ACS Queensland Branch Committee, Digital Careers Queensland steering Committee, Young ICT Explorers, Consultant, and currently the IT Systems Manager at Padua College. Peter is currently the Honorary Secretary member of the ACS Queensland 2021-2022 Branch Executive Committee and has recently earned his ACS Security Micro-credentials in Operations Management and Information Security.  

Co-Founder, CyberMetrix

Lani is a 23 year veteran of the cyber security/risk profession having worked for some of the largest organisations globally - Intel Corporation, Cisco Systems, PwC and Deloitte Asia-Pacific. Lani currently leads the ANZ business for Claroty and is the co-founder and CEO of IoTSec Australia, an industry initiative to advocate for safe and secure practices in the emerging Internet of Things area with a focus on critical infrastructure and smart cities. Lani appears regularly as a Channel 9 News subject matter expert on emerging technology and how it impacts society. Lani is a Co-Founder of CyberMetrix and is also a Partner at Azcende, a venture capital firm that specialises in infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Co-Founder and CEO, CyberMetrix; ACS Queensland Community of Practice Lead - Cyber

Peter Maynard is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of CyberMetrix, a Brisbane based cyber security firm that specialises in developing highly scalable solutions that assist organisations large and small to manage their cyber risk. Peter is regarded as an innovator and thought leader within the cyber security community and has authored Australia’s first Cyber Security Certification for SME’s and corresponding risk-threshold based framework that simplifies supply chain cyber risk management for large organisations and governments. Peter has a formal qualification in accountancy and has over 30 years experience as a self-funded entrepreneur with a proven track record in digital transformation and software development.
 

Director at Gravelroad Group; Member – ACS IOT Committee; Smart City & IoT Expert 

Matthew Schultz is a Director at Gravelroad Group and an Executive leader with expertise in all facets of next-generation connectivity including 5G, digital infrastructure, Smart City & Internet of Things, and data-driven digital strategy and delivery within high-profile operations. Matthew is skilled in collaborating within organizations and industry to achieve business, financial and service delivery objectives.

Matthew is also Co-Chair of the G20 Global Smart Cities Digital Infrastructure Taskforce, Past National President of the Australian Smart Communities Association and the Chair of the newly formed Standards Australia 5G Committee.  He is also an inaugural Board Director of Open Data Australia, a member of Standards Australia IT­042 Internet of Things Standards Development Committee and Standards Australia JT-001-01 Smart City Standards Development Committee.
    
 

Smart Cities and Places Lead, GHD Digital

Harman is the Smart Cities and Places Lead at GHD Digital, where he pursues his passion of developing innovative solutions for Smart Cities, Precincts & Buildings. He brings with him 20 years of global work experience with various technology-related businesses in USA, Dubai, India and Australia. Harman is a Certified Smart Cities Practitioner and a regular speaker on smart technologies, applied innovation and digital transformation. 

In the past, he served as the Chief Innovation Officer at Brady Family of Companies, USA, where he led the organisation to be awarded the “Most Innovative Workplace” in North Carolina in 2017. He also led the development of an IoT platform for smart buildings, Building Clarity, built on world leading SAS Analytics technology. Harman holds an MBA from London Business School and currently serves on Standards Australia’s committee for Smart City Systems with the goal to foster the development of standards in this evolving space.
 

Chair, ACS Queensland Branch Executive Committee 

Beau is an experienced company director, chairman and chief executive, CIO/CDO of companies in a wide range of industry sectors operating in the private, not-for-profit and research sectors. He has over 25 years’ of corporate advisory, strategy, innovation and scaleup experience in cybersecurity, smart cities, aviation, international development and research sectors to drive new business growth through digital transformation and organisational change, with a major focus on new and emerging digital technologies.

Beau is a Senior Member of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and a certified professional, Fellow at Griffith University for Business Strategy and Innovation (BSI), Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Chair of the QUT Science and Engineering Faculty Information Technology Industry Advisory Group, Member of the Healthcare Innovations Advisory Board at Bond University and Member of the Central Queensland University (CQU) ICT Course Reference Committee.   
He also Chairs the Oxfam Australia Philanthropy Advisory Board and is Chair the Queensland ACS Executive Committee and a member of the ACS Management Committee. 

He has also been invited to be one of ten (worldwide) independent grant reviewers for the Internet Society Foundation grants program and recently undertook a role in the Digital Advisory Group for the Queensland Government Department of Community, Housing and Digital Economy to advice on implementation of the Queensland Governments Digital Workforce Strategy. 

He is also Co-CEO of Forticode, an Australian company who developed Cipherise, a Next Gen identity management and authentication solution.
 
 

CIO, Groundprobe, ACS Queensland Branch Executive Committee Member, and Member – ACS Diversity and Inclusion Committee 

Across my career I have worked in many areas of IT acquiring and practicing these skills. I am the global head of IT at GroundProbe managing the IT team through record growth and innovation, transforming IT from backend focused to be more business-focused and the team engaging more as technology consultants in the business. In 2018 and 2019, GroundProbe was voted the most innovative company in Australia and New Zealand by the Australian Financial Review. GroundProbe is a global technology leader that provides advanced hardware and software solutions to the mining industry. After completing my e-commerce degree from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), I started my career as a software engineer, creating databases and systems for finance, marketing, and insurance industries. This led to an opportunity to be on the ground at Innisfail in North Queensland, just days after Cyclone Larry had ravaged the town, to set up a network and systems for insurance processing. From here, I was fortunate enough to work at Raytheon Australia which allowed me to work with global large-scale systems. This exposed me to Defence standards that support Defence services such as the F1-11 and FA-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft, and other security-sensitive areas.

A/Deputy Director-General at Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport

Lea Diffey is the acting Deputy Director-General, Innovation in the Queensland Government’s Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport. The Innovation portfolio is responsible for leading supporting innovative practice across government and leading the Advance Queensland initiative to foster innovation and entrepreneurialism, capitalise on our natural advantages, and help raise Queensland’s profile as an attractive investment destination.

Prior to this Lea led the Science Development for the Queensland Government. She has a long history in sustainable land management, working across portfolios for agriculture, natural resource management, the Great Barrier Reef and environmental management. Lea aims to bring together science and innovation, with policy and outcomes for business.