Mike Kaiser to head NBN Co external affairs

Stuart Corner
Friday, 13 November 2009 10:33

IT Industry - Strategy

NBN Co has appointed Mike Kaiser - former chief of staff to NSW premier Morris Iemma and presently chief of staff to Queensland premier, Anna Bligh - as principal – government relations and external affairs and Claire Rawlins as chief information officer.

He will commence work with NBN Co on the 1st December. NBN CO CEO, Mike Quigley said his background would ensure NBN Co effectively engages with the states and other external stakeholders, including the Federal and Local Governments as well as local communities. "A key early focus for Mr Kaiser will be identifying opportunities for various utility operators across Australia to participate with NBN Co in the roll out of our network."

He added: "Mr Kaiser's understanding of these operations, their infrastructure and their service delivery approaches makes him a valuable addition to the NBN team."

Kaiser, an electrical engineering and economics graduate, has a controversial history in politics. In a less than complimentary posting about him on The Nationals web site, Nationals leader Andrew Stoner, describes him as "one of Labor's 'most colourful' characters."

Rawlings will be responsible for IT strategy architecture, delivery and support of NBN's IT systems and applications. She is currently a consultant to AAPT and before that was managing director, Group Technology for BT Design, a division of British Telecom. In this role she had responsibility for designing, building and implementing the IT and business processes, systems and technology.

Prior to joining British Telecom in 2004, she held senior IT positions with Fidelity Investments, Qwest, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein (DrKW). According to NBN Co, she has "extensive experience in managing large, complex information technology projects."