Deutsche Bank exec to chair NSW ICT panel

The NSW Government has appointed Deutsche Bank’s information enterprise services head, John Baird, as chair of its new ICT Advisory Panel.

In accordance with the state’s ICT Governance Framework, announced in July, the panel would comprise four to five industry representatives, selected through a competitive process.

The NSW Department of Finance and Services issued tender documents seeking advisors who were “well positioned to advise government while avoiding conflict of interest” last month.

Finance Minister Greg Pearce said Baird was chosen from a pool of almost 200 applicants for his experience in change management and implementing “ICT solutions that align with business goals”.

Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Baird worked at BT Global Services, Credit Suisse, Grant Thornton and Toshiba.

He had 30 years’ experience in the ICT industry, and commenced his career an experimental scientist at the CSIRO – satisfying the State Government’s call for a “blend of research and business acumen”.

A spokesman for Minister Pearce said the panel would include four or five members, in addition to Baird.

Those appointments would be announced “in the near future”, and reflect “a vast array of skills and experience from across the industry”, he said.

The ICT Advisory Panel was expected to work alongside a leadership group of agency chief information officers to advise the state’s ICT Board of departmental directors-general.

Its first task was to develop a NSW Government ICT strategy, the spokesman said, noting that it would have its first meeting “as soon as possible”.

“As chair of the Industry Advisory Panel, John [Baird] will be tasked with ensuring that prevailing and emerging technologies are effectively aligned with agency and whole of government objectives,” Minister Pearce stated today.

Panel members and Baird would be remunerated in accordance with Department of Premier and Cabinet guidelines, the minister’s spokesman said.

The guidelines prescribed maximum daily sitting fees of $207 for members of State Government advisory councils and $342 for the chair.