Canberra Managers’ Forum, International Women’s Day Forum – Leadership: Women in ICT

Vice President, Oracle Server Technology Division

Penny Avril is a Vice President in Oracle Server Technology Division, leading product management for Oracle Database. Penny works with release and development management on taking the product from design spec through development to production. Her team runs the customer advisory board, works with Oracle applications and partners on their use of database technology, performs field enablement, works directly with a wide range of customers.

Penny regularly talks to customers, partners, press and analysts to better understand existing and emerging data processing requirements, and to discuss how database technology can be applied to meet business needs.

Penny has been with Oracle since 1995. She holds a BA in computer science from Cambridge University

Chief Technology Officer and Deputy Commissioner Technology, Architecture and Security, Australian Taxation Office

Susan is an experienced Senior Executive with over 25 years experience in the Australian Public Service. Susan joined the ATO as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Technology in September 2018, with responsibility for cyber security, technology architecture, infrastructure projects and corporate applications. Susan’s experience and leadership spans the Digital Transformation Agency, Human Services, Child Support, Education, Employment and the ATO. Susan is experienced in working in complex, integrated environments with diverse stakeholders, and has a passion for leading change and transformation, through people and technology, and has been a CIO, CFO and Deputy CEO.

Susan has a broad range of experience with a unique skill set covering strategy, policy, program design, implementation, service delivery, corporate, shared services, technology and whole of government. Areas of specialisation include leadership and strategy, change and transformation, program delivery and technology with a commitment to improving the user experience through engagement, innovation and technology. Susan has a Bachelor of Commerce (accounting), a Masters of Taxation and an Executive Masters in Public Administration.

Chief Data Officer, Department of Human Services

Dr Maria Milosavljevic is the inaugural Chief Data Officer (CDO) for the Commonwealth Department of Human Services (DHS). She is responsible for defining and implementing data and analytics strategy including appropriate data management, use and innovation, as well as creating the right environment and collaborative arrangements to support this across the Department, broader government, industry and academia.

Dr Milosavljevic is leading the improvement of evidence-based decision-making and policy using DHS data and promotes an ‘open by default’ approach to data across the Department including appropriate governance, risk and assurance practices. Milosavljevic is also an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University (ANU) and Chair of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Cyber Security Committee.

Prior to moving to DHS, Dr Milosavljevic was the inaugural NSW Government Chief Information Security Officer (GCISO) where she was responsible for building improved prevention, detection and a streamlined response to cyber security across the State. She established the function from scratch and delivered and implemented a new WoG Cyber Security Strategy, Policy including minimum standards, WoG Incident Response Plan & Emergency Management Plan, WoG cyber incident exercises, Cyber Security Advisory Council as well as several other initiatives. Prior to this, Dr Milosavljevic was the CIO and CISO of AUSTRAC where she led the creation of leading-edge data analytics / AI technology and an Innovation Hub for the Fintel Alliance, a world-first public-private partnership between AUSTRAC and its public and private sector partners. She also chaired international capability improvement committees for the ASEAN region.

Dr Milosavljevic completed a PhD in Artificial Intelligence on a prestigious scholarship from the Microsoft Research Institute, graduated from ANU with an Executive Masters of Public Administration from the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). As a data scientist, Dr Milosavljevic has developed several world-first and award-winning solutions to difficult problems in the private and public sectors throughout her career. She has also published widely and has been a keynote speaker for a range of conferences globally.

Chief Executive Officer, Digital Transformation Agency

Randall Brugeaud was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Digital Transformation Agency on 1 July 2018.
Before his appointment, Randall spent almost 30 years working in a range of public and private sector roles, with a focus on transformation.
His public sector experience has spanned large, medium and small organisations and his private sector experience includes more than a decade working with the Boston Consulting Group and a private IT consulting firm, which he founded and operated.

Most recently Randall was Deputy Australian Statistician and Chief Operating Officer at the Australian Bureau of Statistics and before that, Chief Information Officer at the former Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Randall holds a Master of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Computing and a Bachelor of Education degree. He is also a Senior Executive Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School.