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About the Board

On 15 October 2021, Minister for Science and Technology, Melissa Price, announced Kathryn Fagg AO would take up a five-year appointment as Chair of the Board.

The Board is responsible to the Australian Government for the overall strategy, governance and performance of CSIRO. Under the Science and Industry Research Act 1949, the primary functions of the Board are to:

  • ensure the proper and efficient performance of the functions of the Organisation
  • determine the policy of the Organisation with respect to any matter
  • give directions to the Chief Executive.

The Board meets at least quarterly and comprises a non-executive Chair, up to eight other non-executive Members and a full-time Chief Executive.

All Board members (other than the Chief Executive) are appointed by the Governor-General. The Chief Executive is appointed by the Board.

The Board operates in part through two standing committees:

  • The Board People, Health and Safety Committee, which assists the Board to fulfill its governance responsibilities in relation to organizational development, people related activities and health and safety.
  • The Board Audit and Risk Committee, which assists CSIRO and its Board in the areas of financial management, risk management, internal control and compliance.

Chairman and members of the Board

Kathryn Fagg AO

CSIRO Board Chair

Ms Kathryn Fagg is an experienced director, senior executive and former engineer. Ms Fagg was promoted from Deputy Chair to Chair for a five-year term, from 15 October 2021. A highly experienced board member and Chair, a non-executive Director of the National Australia Bank Ltd and Djerriwarrh Investments Ltd. She is the Chair of Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), Inaugural Chair of Watertrust Australia Ltd, as well as being a Board Member of the Grattan Institute, The Myer Foundation and the Champions of Change Coalition. She was formerly a Reserve Bank Board member and former President of Chief Executive Women. Ms Fagg has held senior executive roles in logistics, manufacturing, resources, banking and professional services, including with Linfox, BlueScope Steel and the ANZ Banking Group. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Queensland and a Master of Commerce (Honours) from the University of New South Wales. In 2017 she was awarded the Ada Lovelace Medal for Outstanding Woman Engineer by the University of New South Wales.
Term of appointment: 02.08.18 to 01.08.23; 17.09.20 to 16.09.25; 15.10.21 to 14.10.26

Dr Larry Marshall

Chief Executive (EXECUTIVE)

Dr Larry Marshall was born in Sydney and has a PhD in physics from Macquarie University, NSW, completing part of it while studying at Stanford University in the United States (US). He is a scientist, technology innovator and business leader with more than 25 years’ experience in creating new value and impact with science. Dr Marshall has more than 100 peer reviewed publications and conference papers, holds 20 patents, has founded six successful US companies in biotechnology, photonics, telecommunications and semiconductors, and has served on 20 boards of high-tech companies operating in the US, Australia and China. He is a member of the Accelerating R&D in NSW Advisory Committee (ARDAC), a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP), the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and ex-officio member of the National Science and Technology Council.
Term of appointment: 01.01.15 to 31.12.16; 01.01.17 to 30.06.20; 01.07.20 to 30.06.23.

David Knox

CSIRO Deputy Chair, Chair of Board People and Safety Committee.

David Knox is currently Chair of Snowy Hydro. He was previously the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Australian Naval Infrastructure from 2017 to 2020, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Santos Limited from 2008 -2015 and Managing Director for BP Developments in Australasia from 2003 to 2007. He has worked for BP in the United Kingdom and Pakistan, and has held management and engineering positions at ARCO and Shell in the USA, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Norway. David is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland and has a BSc Hons in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. He is a fellow of ATSE, and FIEAust and a graduate of the AICD. David is a Director of Migration Council Australia, Redflow and a Member of the Royal Institution of Australia Council. David also sits on the board of the Adelaide Festival and is Chair of Micro X and The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TASCI).
Term of appointment: 05.05.16 to 04.05.19; 05.05.19 to 04.05.24

Dr Peter Riddles AM FRSA FAICD PhD

CSIRO Board Member, Chair of Board Science Excellence Committee

Dr Riddles began his career as a research scientist in molecular biology in the public sector holding positions at the University of Queensland, Stanford University and the CSIRO. He has made a life-long commitment to the practice of science and using scientific-innovation for generating economic and social benefit. He has provided leadership to diverse organisations including biotechnology start-up companies, industry organisations, and University Commercial Offices. His current priorities include working with entrepreneurs in enterprise creation and maintaining an interest in innovation policy and practice. He is a Member of Chatham House (UK) and a Fellow of the California Technology Council (CA, USA). He also chairs the Experimental Development Program for the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF). and is a Board Director of The Hear and Say Centre for Deaf Children (Brisbane, Australia).
Term of appointment: 24.04.14 to 23.04.17; 24.04.17 to 23.04.22

Prof Edwina Cornish AO

CSIRO Board Member

Professor Edwina Cornish AO has worked at the interface between industry, the research and higher education sectors and government throughout her career. , She is an experienced board member with expertise in scientific and academic leadership and international business development. Professor Cornish played a key role in building one of Australia’s first biotechnology companies, Florigene Limited, which developed and successfully commercialised the world’s first genetically modified flowers under her leadership. Professor Cornish is a Member of the Council of La Trobe University and was previously Provost and Senior Vice-President of Monash University. In 2014 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, in part for her advances in biotechnology and horticultural genetic modification.
Term of appointment: 26.11.15 to 25.11.20; 26.11.20 to 25.11.23.

Prof Tanya Monro

CSIRO Board Member

Professor Tanya Monro is the Chief Defence Scientist, appointed in March 2019.

Professor Monro was previously Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation and an ARC Georgina Sweet Laureate Fellow at the University of South Australia.

Professor Monro was the inaugural Director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) from 2008 to 2014 and was also the inaugural Director for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) at the University of Adelaide. Her research is in the field of photonics, with a focus on sensing, lasers and new classes of optical fibres.

Professor Monro obtained her PhD in physics in 1998 from The University of Sydney, for which she was awarded the Bragg Gold Medal for the best Physics PhD in Australia. In 2000, she received a Royal Society University Research Fellowship at the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton in the UK, and is also an inaugural Bragg Fellow of the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus).

Professor Monro is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), the Optical Society of America (OSA) and the Australian Institute of Physics. She is a member of the SA Premier’s Economic Advisory Council and Science Patron of the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF).

Her awards include: the Prime Minister's Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year (2008), South Australian Scientist of the Year (2010), South Australia's Australian of the Year (2011), and the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research (2015).

Term of appointment: 25.02.16 to 24.02.21; 25.02.21 to 24.02.24

Dr Michele Allan

CSIRO Board Member, Chair of Board Audit & Risk Committee

Dr Michele Allan is a food industry and agribusiness specialist who has held senior executive and director positions in the food, agriculture and education sectors and has an academic background in biomedical science, management and law. Dr Allan is the Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, Chair of Wine Australia, Chair of Apple and Pear Australia, Chair of Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre and Chair of Defence CRC for Trusted Autonomous Systems. Her current board positions include, , MJ Chicken Pty Ltd, Smart Sat CRC, Food Agility CRC and Dairy Food Safety Victoria and Chair of the Assessment Committee of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative (Translation and Integration Stream).- Dr Allan has a Bachelor of Applied Science Major – Biomedical Science – Cytology from University Technology Sydney, Master of Management (Technology) from the University of Melbourne, Doctor of Business Administration from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and a Master of Commercial Law from Deakin University. She is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Term of appointment: 05.05.16 to 04.05.19; 05.05.19 to 04.05.24

Mr Drew Clarke AO PSM FTSE

CSIRO Board Member

Mr Clarke has served for more than 20 years in senior roles in the Australian Public Service, including as Secretary of the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, and Secretary of the Department of Communications. His last executive role was as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister. In 2009 Mr Clarke was awarded a Public Service Medal for his energy policy work, and in 2016 was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration. He brings a valuable mix of skills to the CSIRO Board with his background in applied science, public policy and government administration. He has a Master of Science from The Ohio State University and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Mr Clarke is Chairman of the Australian Energy Market Operator Board and a director on the NBNCo Board. He also has current advisory roles in energy research and Antarctic research. Mr Clarke has been an ex officio member of the Industry Research and Development Board (as Executive General Manager of AusIndustry), Chair of ANZLIC - the Spatial Information Council, Chair of the COAG Energy Council Standing Committee of Officials, a Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information and a member of the International Energy Agency Governing Board. Term of appointment: 24.08.17 to 23.08.22

Prof Michelle Simmons

CSIRO Board Member

Professor Michelle Simmons is the Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology at UNSW Sydney and the Founder and Director of Silicon Quantum Computing, Australia’s first quantum computing company. She has pioneered radically new technologies to build electronic devices in silicon at the atomic scale. She has been recognised by the American Computer Museum as a pioneer in quantum computing, awarded the US Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology and was named the 2017 'L'OREAL-UNESCO Asia-Pacific Laureate in the Physical Sciences. In 2018, Professor Simmons was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and named Australian of the Year.
Term of appointment: 17.09.20 to 16.09.25.

Ian Macfarlane

CSIRO Board Member

Ian is Chief Executive of the Queensland Resources Council and is a non-executive director of Woodside Petroleum and the Chairman of the Innovative Manufacturing Co-operative Research Centre. Ian Macfarlane has had a long career in the public service and was elected to Federal Parliament in 1998. He became Australia’s longest serving Federal Resources and Energy Minister and the Coalition’s longest serving Federal Industry and Innovation Minister with over 14 years of experience in both Cabinet and shadow ministerial positions before retiring from parliament in May 2016.
Term of appointment: 15.10.21 to 14.10.24

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