Independent Chair

Rebecca is the Managing Director and Founder of Escient in Victoria. With over 20 years of industry experience, managing professional services and delivering successful projects across a variety of sectors, she has been involved in building companies from scratch both in Australia and the UK. Strongly collaborative by nature and known for her ability to see the big picture, she is committed to the development of the digital and technology industry and strongly believes in innovation and providing an inclusive and diverse workplace for the digitally-enabled workforce of the future. She has particular expertise and knowledge of the Victorian Public Sector and is experienced in delivering strategic planning, business case development, digital project and program management, data and analytics, performance management, business process improvement, change management and communications engagements.

Independent Member

Jemma is Regional Director of M&T Resources, leading the strategy and innovation for M&T’s presence in Victoria. Her career spans over 18 years, starting her own business in New Zealand at the age of 21. She subsequently worked across human resources and recruitment in New Zealand and Edinburgh, UK, before relocating to Melbourne nine years ago. She has built up excellent foundations and a real presence in the VIC market working for some of Australia’s leading organisations. Jemma’s passion lies in the opportunity to make a difference and to work in real partnership with diverse talent and organisations.

Independent Member

Chartered Professional Accountant, Bachelor of Business in Accounting (Deakin University)

Ashley has over 25 years of industry experience and is a highly regarded and successful executive manager and high-end problem solver. He has worked at all levels of management including at the highest Company Board Level with the Family Mediation and Counselling (FMC) Victoria. He has been involved with the recruitment, training and mentoring of staff at all levels from graduates through to business and technology professionals and brings rich, practical and valuable industry experience to the Higher Education Academic Board (HEAB). He is an expert in managing complex issues related to customers, business processes, projects and internal operations facilitating delivery of a superior customer experience. He acts an effective conduit between executive management and the rest of the organisation and has managed and resolved over 500 troubled commercial and technical projects at IBM. He was an integral part of the transition of major clients, including the Big 4 accounting firms and when MYOB acquired Solution 6. He also restructured service delivery at Solution 6 as part of the specialist turnaround management team assembled when the company was near bankruptcy. He led the internal IT department as well as the external IT consulting arm as IT Partner of accounting firm Lowe Lippmann.