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CIO Leadership Driving Data-Driven Innovation
1 - 3 April 2025 | National Convention Centre Canberra
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Streams
Overview of CIO Leadership
Chief Information Officers (CIOs) play a pivotal role in enabling a culture of data-driven innovation within the Australian government sector. This stream focuses on the essential leadership qualities and strategies that CIOs must adopt to leverage data effectively and drive transformative change across public services.
CIO Leadership Speakers
CIO Leadership Agenda Plenary
Permenthri Pillay
Partner, Government and Public Sector Business Tranformers, Digital Transformation
EY Australia
The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
Assistant Minister for Employment
- Government’s approach by providing baseline requirements on governance, assurance and transparency of AI
- Strengthening public trust in government’s use of AI by providing enhanced transparency, governance and risk assurance
- Addressing the importance of ensuring AI systems are free from biases that could lead to discrimination
Lucy Poole
General Manager Strategy, Planning and Performance Division
Digital Transformation Agency
- Understanding how to collect, analyze, and interpret data to harness the power of AI technologies
- Rethinking of education and training programs to ensure that students and workers are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in
the AI era
- Exploring how data and digital leaders from the Australian Public Service are driving innovation to enhance citizen outcomes
- Examining the critical role of data and technology in building a smarter, more responsive government that meets the evolving
expectations of citizens - Balancing citizen expectations, emerging technologies, and operational demands
- Strengthening data security and privacy to uphold public trust
- Collaborating with industry leaders to drive innovation and expertise in digital transformation
Permenthri Pillay
Partner, Government and Public Sector Business Transformation, Digital Transformation
EY Australia
- Identifying key areas where AI can drive the most value in government operations
- Collaboration across departments to ensure AI adoption is cohesive and organisation-wide
- Mitigating biases in AI models to promote fairness and accountability
Andrew Morrison
Chief Technology Officer
EY Australian
- Methods for decentralising data governance to reduce workload and maximise results
- Key strategies for cultivating a data-driven culture that promotes collaboration around data
- Best practices for sharing data to support citizen services while
maintaining trust and transparency
Sam Spencer
CEO and Information
Security Officer
Aristotle Metadata
Take advantage of this engaging peer-to-peer networking experience aimed at fostering meaningful connections. Enjoy relaxed conversations that encourage open dialogue and collaboration as you share insights, exchange ideas, and build valuable relationships with fellow data professionals. Participate in structured 10-minute rotations in our dedicated meeting zone, designed to facilitate both learning and networking.
- Navigating the rapidly
evolving technological
landscape with strategic AI integration - Driving innovation and shaping ethical frameworks in the age of AI
- Enhancing collaboration
between IT and cyber
teams for shared success - Developing critical skills and responsibilities to
propel organisations into an AI-driven future
Shikha Sharma
Chief Information Officer & Director Business Improvement Technology
Department of Human Services SA
- Building an effective data
architecture foundation to
harness the power of AI - Enabling uninterrupted
data access for front
office teams while
allowing IT to transition to
the cloud at their pace - Incorporating best
practices from agencies
that have successfully
adopted AI-driven logical
data architecture
- Aligning data and digital strategies with your organisation’s overall mission and long-term objectives to ensure cohesive, impactful initiatives
- Overcoming challenges such as data silos, resistance to change, and technological limitations, along with strategies to address them
- Lessons learned from
organisations that have navigated complex data and digital transformations, including key factors that led to successful outcomes and pitfalls to avoid
Rebecca Ostergaard
Chief Digital Officer
CSIRO
- Defining data mesh, its purpose, and best practices for successful implementation
- Establishing the benefits and differentiate it from other modern data architectures
- Devising an implementation plan for your data mesh initiative, uncovering effective methods to overcome potential roadblock
- How Service NSW built a comprehensive data catalog to uncover hidden data assets and maximize their value
- Democratising access to data by building a universal analytics platform
- Transforming data into knowledge through a wide rollout of actionable analytics for all teams
- Strategies to empower teams to interpret analytics reports effectively and drive real-time responses through structured metric reviews
Andrew Spiegelman
Head of Data Analytics
Service NSW
- Ensuring compliance with GDPR by mastering data sovereignty requirements
- Overcoming key challenges in managing data sovereignty across the EU
- Staying ahead of regulatory demands by understanding essential GDPR data sovereignty obligations
- Safeguarding EU citizens’ data with robust protection, no matter where it’s processed or stored, building trust and reducing risk
This roundtable discussion offers a unique chance to engage with data peers, sharing common challenges and best practices on a topic of your choice. Each of the ten roundtables will be co-hosted by a technology expert and a government data leader, ensuring meaningful and insightful conversations. At the end of the day, facilitators will present a summary of the key findings to the entire group, allowing all participants to benefit from the collective insights.
1
Data Talent and Workforce Planning
Develop strategies to close skill gaps in the data workforce and ensure a pipeline of capable talent in APS
2
Data Driven Culture, Data Sharing and Accessibility
Practical approaches for promoting data sharing and collaboration among dierent government departments and agencies, considering the diverse data governance structures and regulations?
3
AI Tools & Emerging Technologies
Explore cutting-edge AI tools, create tailored implementation plans, and apply best practices to optimise organisational performance and outcomes.
4
Optimising Data Cloud & Storage Solutions
Leverage advanced data storage and cloud platforms, integrating security protocols to safeguard sensitive information eectively.
5
Data Governance & Risk Management
Implement robust data governance frameworks, develop risk audit methodologies, and ensure compliance with regulations to maintain data integrity.
6
Ethics & Regulation in AI
Establish ethical guidelines for AI development, ensuring adherence to regulatory frameworks and promoting responsible AI usage.
7
Selecting the Right Data Solutions
Identify and implement data solutions that drive informed decision-making and improve overall efficiency
8
Enhancing Data Sharing Across Agencies
Strengthen data-sharing practices across government agencies to improve collaboration and outcomes.
9
Data Governance & Security
Reinforce data governance and security measures to ensure regulatory compliance and mitigate risks
Join us for an exclusive Networking Dinner at The Boat House Canberra on 2nd April 2025 at 7:00 PM. End your Summit day with a fine dining experience alongside your peers in a stunning lakeside setting.
Nestled along the scenic banks of Lake Burley Griffin, The Boat House promises more than just a meal—it’s a culinary journey in an unforgettable venue.
Seats are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so reserve your spot now to secure this premier networking opportunity!
Jo Talbot
Manager of Data Governance
Australian Communications and Media Authority
Alison Rose
Chief of Space Division
Geoscience Australia
- More insight, less effort – Building digital architectures to turn information into actionable insights
- Know your audience – understanding what you want to say and to who
- Developing an effective process that will ensure quality data visuals
- Understanding what visuals work best for different data types
- How data-driven decision-making can stimulate economic development by identifying growth sectors and optimising resource allocation
- Importance of real-time data access in enhancing service delivery and decision-making processes
- Highlighting successful collaborations between state governments to promote data-sharing initiatives and develop innovative solutions
- Measurement frameworks used by state governments to assess their data strategies
Rai Fergusson
Chief Digital & Data Officer
Infrastructure Australia
Jason Owusu
Chief of Data & Digital
Department of Transport & Planning
Andrew Spiegelman
Head of Data & Analytics
Service NSW
- Human Services journey from traditional to data-driven
- Enabling data accessibility supported by effective data integration and cloud infrastructure, is key to fostering innovation and improving client outcomes
- Optimising IT architecture to modernise and scale IT infrastructure, including data lakes, data warehouses, and integration platforms, to support the growing demand for real-time data and advanced analytics
Shikha Sharma
Chief Information Officer & Director Business Improvement Technology
Department of Human Services SA
Take advantage of this engaging peer-to-peer networking experience aimed at fostering meaningful connections. Enjoy relaxed conversations that encourage open dialogue and collaboration as you share insights, exchange ideas, and build valuable relationships with fellow data professionals. Participate in structured 10-minute rotations in our dedicated meeting zone, designed to facilitate both learning and networking.
- Data lakes vs. data warehouses – key differences
- Assessing compatibility with current data tools and ecosystems
- Importance of implementing strong security measures to protect sensitive information
- Use cases in the APS
Chris Crozier
Chief Information Officer
Department of Defence
- Clarifying the clear connection between records,information and data
- The Importance of accurate data for effective information
- Aligning technologies and processes for data collection, storage, processing, and record-keeping to optimise efficiency and ensure compliance with business requirements
- The gaps in many governance and transformation initiatives
- Leveraging AI and large language models (LLMs) to extract actionable insights from unstructured data for informed decision-making
- Exploring the risks associated with AI implementation in public data
- Highlighting the benefits of AI in enhancing public service efficiency and effectiveness
Benjamin Lamont
Manager Technology Strategy and Data
Australian Federal Police
- Best practices for linking data assets to enhance decision-making and service outcomes
- The role of data governance in ensuring accuracy, security, and accessibility within the public sector
- Strategies for aligning linked data with whole-of-government objectives while ensuring compliance with data sovereignty and privacy regulations
- Addressing the challenges of data sharing, ownership, and privacy within intergovernmental linked data ecosystems
Greg Italiano
Government Chief Information Officer
Department of the Premier and Cabinet of WA
- Finding opportunities to strengthen implementation of the Framework for the Governance of Indigenous Data
- The importance of collaboration between government bodies, Indigenous organisations, and communities in overcoming challenges
Nattlie Smith (Wiradjuri)
Branch Manager, Strategic Insights
National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA)
Key themes
Chief Data and Analytics Officer Strategy
The Chief Data and Analytics Officer plays a vital role in driving data-driven decision-making and innovation across government agencies. This stream focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by CDAOs in the Australian context, emphasising strategic leadership, collaboration, and the effective use of data to enhance service delivery and public trust.
Data Analytics and AI in Public Service Decision Making
In an era where data is abundant and technology is rapidly advancing, harnessing the power of data analytics and AI is essential for effective public service decision-making. This stream will delve into how government agencies can integrate data analytics and AI to enhance operational efficiency, improve service delivery and foster better outcomes for citizens.
CIO Leadership Driving Data-Driven Innovation
Chief Information Officers play a pivotal role in enabling a culture of data-driven innovation within the Australian government sector. This stream focuses on the essential leadership qualities and strategies that CIOs must adopt to leverage data effectively and drive transformative change across public services.
Strengthening Cybersecurity Readiness and Data Privacy
In today’s digital landscape, the Australian public sector faces increasing threats to cybersecurity and data privacy. This stream delves into the critical importance of enhancing cybersecurity readiness and implementing robust data privacy measures to protect sensitive information and maintain public trust.
Data as a Career
As data becomes an integral component of decision-making and service delivery within the government sector, the demand for skilled professionals in data roles continues to rise. This stream focuses on the diverse career opportunities in data within the public sector and the essential skills needed to thrive in this evolving landscape.
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