MEMBER ONLY EVENT – Addressing Tech Debt in the Public Sector: Practical Steps for Digital Transformation

Events Team | events@aiia.com.au

1300 665 145

Simon Spencer

CTO

Trideca

With a diverse career spanning start-ups, large enterprise and government assignments across Australia, the United States (Silicon Valley, New York, and LA) and Europe, Simon has founded and led multiple ventures involving Intelligent agents, natural language processing, pattern recognition, Chatbots, intelligent services, Machine Learning and AI.

Simon’s work has included pioneering work in voice-based personal digital assistants and in collaboration with then Australian startup MyCyberTwin, work with some of Australia’s largest banks to build prototype AI services.

Throughout a career that began at the Telstra Research Labs and includes leading Citigroup’s emerging technology group in New York, Architecture and Innovation at Nab and innovation programs with CBA, ANZ, Westpac and Computershare and more, Simon consistently, steals, adapts, hacks and then translates ideas and solutions from a near future to deliver capabilities valuable to customers and enterprises today.

Simon was previously at Suncorp leading Data and AI strategy, with a mission to leverage the potential of machine learning, bots and AI to design and create the next generation of financial services, insurance and customer innovation.

Adam Carthew

CIO

Service Victoria

Adam Carthew, the Chief Information Officer at Service Victoria is transforming the way public sector agencies interact with citizens by creating new digital channels to make it faster and easier to get things done with government. 

Adam is an experienced IT professional with executive management experience in large IT and architecture teams, with a strong focus on strategy and outcomes.

Adam brings a breadth of industry experience to Service Victoria, with previous technology executive roles at ANZ heading up architecture functions as well as delivering and managing retail platforms.

At Coles Financial Services he helped guide the customer technology direction of the emerging business.

His last role was at Target Australia within the Kmart Group where he oversaw eCommerce and store technology focussing on bringing the customer experience across channel together through technology solutions. In 2021 – 2023, Adam was selected in the top 50 CIO’s in Australia.

Laura Christie

Government Chief Digital and Information Officer

Deputy Secretary

Digital.NSW, Department of Customer Service

Laura is an experience public sector leader having spent 15 years in roles in the NSW Government, Commonwealth Government and the not-for-profit sector. In her role as the NSW Government Chief Information and Digital Officer (GCIDO) she leads Digital NSW, a central agency which delivers cross-government digital experience, services and products and enables sustainable investment and sourcing that enables the NSW Government to deliver critical digital platforms and infrastructure that protects and connects our customers. 

Prior to leading Digital.NSW, Laura led Service Delivery for Service NSW, where she was responsible for the Service NSW shopfronts and Contact Centre, leading over 3500 staff. She joined Service NSW as Executive Director Partnerships where she was instrumental in providing Service NSW with dedicated cluster and agency partnership support.

Before Service NSW, Laura was the founding Executive Director for Office of the Secretary at the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation and held various roles at the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Commonwealth Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Her expertise and achievements were acknowledged in 2018 as the recipient of a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to policy development and reform initiatives. 

Jithma Beneragama

Strategic Advisor

Amazon Web Services

Mr Beneragama is a global digital executive with over 20 years of experience transforming organisations to take advantage of our changing digital world. Recognised as one of Australia’s Top 50 most innovative CIOs in 2018, 2020 and again in 2021, Mr Beneragama has led teams to consistently deliver industry firsts and award-winning products and services.

Mr Beneragama has worked across sectors including media, telecommunications, public administration and information technology. The common theme in his career has been using disruptive technology to drive innovation within organizations. He is currently a Strategic Advisor for Amazon Web Services, where he helps organizations explore and navigate disruptive transformation. Prior to this role, he was Executive Director of Digital, Design and Innovation within the Victorian Public Sector, where he helped shape the digital transformation agenda for the Government.

Mr Beneragama has board experience across the education, start up, healthcare and public sectors. He is a member of the Swinburne Edge Future of Work Advisory Board, and Code of Australia Advisory Board and a digital advisor for the World Mosquito Project. Mr Beneragama also chairs the Swinburne Edge Public Sector Advisory Board.