The ongoing wave of tech layoffs is buffeting NBN Co, which announced this month it will lay off 500 people as the company adjusts its operational and funding strategies to accommodate a climate of increasing competition and intensifying borrowing pressure. The company, which has built and operated the National Broadband Network (NBN) since 2009, will… Read more »
Till Payments founder Shadi Haddad has stepped down as CEO in the wake of the fintech a $70 million raise, announced a fortnight ago. The company has declined to comment on changes to its C-suite amid board changes, and job cuts, but Paul Kawtal, CEO of Sydney-based IT and telecommunications business Ethan Group, is reportedly… Read more »
Melbourne link-in-bio startup Linktree has made three key US-based hires to build out its executive team under CEO and cofounder Alex Zaccaria. Snap’s former VP of Engineering Farnaz Azmoodeh has signed on as chief technology officer, while the business now has its first chief product officer in former Headspace chief product and content officer at… Read more »
Former Victorian innovation, medical research and digital economy Jaala Pulford, has joined the board of medtech, biotech and pharma growth centre MTPConnect, replacing Sue MacLeman as chair. Pulford left politics after 16 years at the 2022 state election, and had a strong focus on medical innovation, having established mRNA Victoria and also playing a key role… Read more »
Early-stage venture capital firm Investible has named Asia-Pacific investment expert Charlie Ill as the group’s first Chief Investment Officer as the fund ramps up its global presence. The Sydney-headquartered VC, which also has an office in Singapore, has also promoted Jayden Basha to principal and Ben Lindsay to investment manager. Ill has been charged with… Read more »
Venture capital fund Blackbird has appointed three new general partners from within its own ranks Moving from principal to partner are Michael Tolo and Tom Humphrey in Australia, as well as Phoebe Harrop in New Zealand. It’s just the second time in the 11 years since Rick Baker and Niki Scevak founded Blackbird that the VC has… Read more »
Global payments and financial platform, Airwallex announced senior appointments to its leadership team as they focus on expansion into 2023. Airwallex is a global financial and payment platform that helps entrepreneurs eliminate unnecessary costs and complexity associated with traditional financial systems. It offers an all-in-one platform for managing payments, treasury, and spending and is trusted… Read more »
Render Networks has made two key executive appointments after doubling its workforce over the past year. The construction tech platform’s growth comes after IFM Investor took a $40 million majority stake in the business in mid-2022. Omar Ramadan, former Calix and Advanced Fibre Communications executive, has joined Render as the Vice President of Customer Operations.… Read more »
Sudden mass layoffs at the biggest technology companies on Earth could be an opportunity for Australian organisations to fill long-standing gaps in their workforces. More than 70,000 employees have been sacked from tech giants in the past year as companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta – which saw enormous growth during the pandemic – are now winding back their staffing… Read more »
Consulting giant Ernst & Young has named seven Australian finalists in its annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards. They include Chris Eigeland and Andrew Barnes, cofounders of the Queensland edtech unicorn Go1. Last year Go1 doubled its valuation to $2.8 billion after raising $140 million. Now in its 22nd year, the awards recognise people… Read more »
Agribusiness expert and serial board member Dr Michele Allan has stepped up as chair of Australia’s leading space research centre, SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), following the sudden passing of inaugural chair Dr Peter Woodgate on Christmas eve. Dr Allan, chancellor and board chair of Charles Sturt University, also chairs the Food and Agribusiness Growth… Read more »
Fast-growing Victoria retail startup July has appointed Joanne Smith as its first Chief Financial Officer. Smith moves to the luggage brand from CFO at deals platform Little Birdie. She previously held roles at KPMG Australia and UK, as well as a five-year stint at Kogan where she played a key role in the company’s IPO… Read more »
Sydney startup Livewire, which brings gaming marketing to company promotions, has made several key hires in the wake of raising $4.7 million late last year. The 20-month-old gaming marketing company develops integrated gaming marketing solutions for advertising agencies and brands. Its clients include Uber Eats, streaming site Binge, Amazon Music UK, NBL League, and Warner… Read more »
Blockchain Australia’s new CEO, Laura Mercurio, has left the member organisation after just three months after taking on the role An experienced investment banker whose CV includes global investment banks, including BlackRock, Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank), fintech’s and various government and regulatory bodies, took over from Steve Vallas in mid September. Blockchain Australia is the… Read more »
Southeast Asian climate tech venture firm Wavemaker Impact has named Monique Conheady as its new Venture Partner for Australia and New Zealand ahead of rolling out locally in 2023. The VC’s mission is to back build and back climate tech startups with the combined potential to reduce global carbon by 10% by 2035. Wavemaker Impact dubs them ‘100×100’… Read more »
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