ACS appoints veteran Lakin to guide World Congress

James Riley
Monday, 16 November 2009 09:34

IT People - Training

Technology industry veteran Bruce Lakin has been appointed as the Australian Computer Society’s new chief executive and nominated the National Broadband Network, digital economy issues and skills development as priorities in the new role.

Lakin will also assume control of organisational work toward the World Computer Congress 2010 event the ACS will host in Brisbane next September.

Lakin has worked in the tech sector over a long period in the Asia Pacific, including senior roles with Symantec, Veritas and Toshiba. He said other areas of focus in the new role would also include Green ICT issues and eSecurity.

The Lakin appointment closes the book on a sorry chapter for the ACS, which has been hunting for a new chief since Kim Denham was fired in May. That acrimonious departure subsequently led to court battles in recent months.

Lakin’s strength in senior management roles within the tech sector gave him a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing ICT professionals.

“I look forward to helping progress the Society’s role as an advocate for the profession, in advancing the careers of ICT professionals and its hosting of World Computer Congress in 2010,” he said.

Australian Information Industry Association chairman John Grant welcomed the appointment, saying Lakin was well known to many AIIA members and well positioned to support the ACS chairman Kumar Parakala.

Lakin was appointed after an extensive national search by leading executive recruitment firm, Talent2.

The World Computer Congress in September 2010 is being sponsored by the Queensland Government and is expected to be one of the largest ICT events held in this country.

The last time the ACS hosted the event was in Adelaide a decade ago.