The NSW Government has established an Innovation Council with a secretariat, housed within the Department of State and Regional Development, to implement NSW's innovation approach.
The council advises the Government on policies and strategies which create an environment where it is easier for businesses to innovate, improve the innovative capacity of the NSW private sector, help increase investment and build stronger rural and regional economies.
The NSW Innovation Council members are:
Steven Harker (Chair) – Managing Director and CEO Morgan Stanley Australia
Steve Harker is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Stanley Australia. Prior to joining the firm in July 1998, Steve spent 15 years with BZW. In 1996, he was transferred to London where he was promoted to Chief Executive of Global Equities and a Member of the BZW Global Management Committee. Prior to joining BZW, Steve was a Research Officer and then National Organiser for the Federated Ironworkers' Association of Australia from 1979 to 1983 and a Research Officer, Special Projects Section, with the Reserve Bank of Australia in 1979. Steve graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics (first class honours) and a Bachelor of Law.
Barry Buffier – Director General, Department of State and Regional Development
Barry Buffier is Director General of the NSW Department of State and Regional Development. He was previously the Director General of the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Barry has an extensive track record in both the private and public sectors in primary industries, agribusiness and finance. Barry is a Churchill Fellow, a Commissioner with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has served on the board of many national and state bodies and boards. These include Landcare Australia, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, NSW Rural Assistance Authority, National Rural Advisory Committee, and Chair of the National Wine and Grape Industry Council, Farrer Trust, C.B. Alexander Foundation, and the NSW Poultry Meat Industry Committee.
Michael Coutts-Trotter – Director General, Department of Education and Training and Managing Director, TAFE NSW
Michael Coutts-Trotter is the Director General of the NSW Department of Education and Training and Managing Director of TAFE NSW, a position he has held since 2007. Prior to taking up this position, Michael was Director General of the Department of Commerce for two and half years and was Chief of Staff to the NSW Treasurer for seven years.
Robyn Kruk –Director General, Department of Premier and Cabinet
Robyn Kruk was appointed Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet in 2007. During her career, Robyn has worked as a child protection worker in the inner city of Sydney and the Riverina, held various research and policy positions in both the former Premier's Department and The Cabinet Office, was the Deputy Director General of the former Cabinet Office, Director General of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Deputy Director General of the former NSW Premier's Department and in 2002 was appointed Director General of the NSW Department of Health. Robyn has represented the State in negotiations on numerous Commonwealth and State agreements and has held various statutory and board positions at both a state and national level. Robyn also holds a Masters degree in Administration and graduate qualifications from the Harvard Business School.
Catherine Livingstone AO – Director, Macquarie Group Limited
Catherine Livingstone was Chairman of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 2001 to 2006. Prior to that, she was CEO of Cochlear Limited. She is currently a Director of Macquarie Group Ltd, Worley Parsons Ltd, Telstra Corporation Ltd, as well as being on the Board of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and President of Chief Executive Women. Catherine also works actively with the Australian Business Foundation, of which she has been the Chair, and is on the Federal Government's National Innovation System Review Panel. Catherine received an Honours degree in Accounting from Macquarie University, qualified as a Chartered Accountant, attended the IMD International Program for Executive Development, is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and Engineering and was the Eisenhower Foundation Fellow for Australia in 1999.
Philip Mussared – Deputy Secretary, Operations, NSW Treasury
Philip Mussared has been a member of the Executive of NSW Treasury since 2006. From 1994 to 2006, he held Deputy Secretary positions in the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Treasury and Finance in Tasmania. Philip began his career in the Australian Public Service and worked in the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Foreign Service, the Commonwealth Treasury, the Office of National Assessments, the Office of the Economic Planning Advisory Council, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. He served two terms totalling five years with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. Philip holds a Bachelor of Arts and an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, CPA Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a member of Economic Society of Australia.
Mark O'Neill – former Executive Director, Australian Coal Association
Mark O'Neill is an energy and environment specialist with a long career in non-government organisations, government and industry. As Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association from 2000 to 2007, he initiated and led the national COAL21 program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the use of coal. COAL21 brought together federal and state governments, the power generation and coal industries, unions and research organisations to develop low emissions technologies. He served on CSIRO's Energy and Transport Sector Advisory Committee from 2003-7 and the Energy Transformed Flagship Advisory Committee from 2005. He has previously served as an advisor to both state (Victoria) and federal environment ministers and was senior advisor on the environment to former Prime Minister Keating. Mark holds an Honours Degree in Science.
Dr David Skellern – CEO, National ICT Australia
Dr David Skellern assumed the role of NICTA Chief Executive Officer in 2005. After research and academic careers at the University of Sydney, Macquarie University and Hewlett Packard, in 1997 he co-founded the Radiata group of companies in Australia and the US, which was acquired by Cisco Systems Inc. in 2001. Dr Skellern received a BSc (Computer Science and Mathematics) in 1972, a BE (Electrical Engineering) in 1974, and a PhD in 1985, from the University of Sydney. In 2007, he was awarded with the CSIRO Tony Benson Award for Individual Achievement in ICT and honoured with an IEEE Fellowship.
Greg Smith – Director, Public Affairs, Animal Logic
After receiving a Bachelor of Law degree from Melbourne University, Greg Smith has had over 20 years experience in the Australian Film Industry. A former Director of Film Victoria and the NSW Film and Television Office, he also has experience as an executive producer and film financier. Greg was instrumental in setting up EFSA (the prior incarnation of Ausfilm), remains actively involved with Ausfilm and presently sits on its board. As one of the world's most highly respected digital production companies, Animal Logic produces award-winning design, animation and visual effects solutions for the film, television and advertising industries. Greg helped set up Animal Logic's film division, the move to Fox Studios and the company's Los Angeles office. Animal Logic's film credits include Happy Feet, 300, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hero, The Matrix and Moulin Rouge. The company has been involved in many noteworthy TV advertising campaigns and other TV credits.
Dr Jonathan West – Director, Australian Innovation Research Centre
Dr Jonathan West, on whose work the Innovation Statement is based, is Professor of Innovation and Director, Australian Innovation Research Centre. He has recently returned to Australia after 18 years at Harvard University where he undertook his doctorate and masters degrees. At Harvard, Dr West was Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration. He taught in the fields of innovation, operations, and business strategy. Dr West was founder and faculty director of the Harvard Life Sciences Project, a multi-faculty university initiative to understand the economic dynamics of the revolution in life sciences. He is currently working from the University of Tasmania to found a new research organisation, the Australian Innovation Research Institute. Dr West has worked as a consultant to major corporations and several governments around the world, including the current Government of New South Wales.