CSIRO’s Executive Team is set for a major overhaul, with the imminent departure of Deputy Chief Executive Craig Roy leading to a restructure with changes to key positions.
In announcing the changes, CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall said the new look Executive Team (ET) would “more directly connect to our people and our science by including some roles that were previously on the CSIRO Leadership Team,” promising that the moves would allow the organisation “to focus on our people, science, and customers.”
Changes at the top
Dr Marshall said that three roles – all currently vacant – would be elevated to ET. A new Executive Director People will ensure that “the voice of people and culture best practice will be at the ET table, and part of every decision.”
Another new position – Executive Director Growth – will lead “Business Development & Commercialisation, with strong support from Strategy, Global, Science Impact and Policy – working across all our Business Units, more directly connecting ET and CLT to the opportunities and challenges for our business model,” Dr Marshall said.
With Anita Hill electing to focus solely on her role as Executive Director Future Industries, the now-vacant Chief Scientist role will now be made a dedicated ET position and will provide “a science career path to the highest levels of decision making, and another voice on the ET, representing all CSIRO science, technology and engineering,” Dr Marshall said.
Data61 Chief Executive Adrian Turner will join ET as an ex-officio member.
Diversity opportunity
CSIRO Staff Association Secretary Sam Popovski said that the new vacancies presented an opportunity to improve diversity at the most senior level of the organisation.
“CSIRO can’t afford to squander this chance to make the senior leadership of the organisation more diverse and reflective of staff and community expectations in 2018.
“The gulf between senior management and staff is still too large and much more needs to be done to rebuild trust.
“Another test will be the capacity of the new Executive Team to achieve real-term growth funding for CSIRO and deliver on Strategy 2020,” Mr Popovski said.
Roy bows out
Deputy Chief Executive Craig Roy has called time on his fifteen-year CSIRO career and is expected to leave the organisation midway this year.
“I have been personally taken by the very genuine messages of support that I have received from both inside and outside of CSIRO; they have really touched my heart,” Mr Roy said.
“There are so many special memories, and they all involve being surrounded by people; meeting the elders on the Tiwi Islands to talk about opportunities for us to learn from each other, the delight in children’s eyes when talking about science in the Scientist’s in Schools Program, seeing your team grow and be really happy in what they are achieving, mentoring others, seeing how CSIRO is doing so well when compared to many of our global peers.
“The things that we do (at CSIRO) are captivating and continue to amaze every day; the people are so passionate and are here for the right reasons and the Australian public want us to be here to do the things we do…
“These qualities are so valuable, and we shouldn’t ever lose it as an organisation. I will always carry my CSIRO friendships and experiences with me,” Mr Roy said.