Central Queensland Uni hires new tech leader

Central Queensland University has named Roy Pidgeon as its new director of information and digital technology following the retirement of long-serving chief information officer Peter Edwards.

Roy Pidgeon.

As part of the handover process, Edwards will remain with the university to assist with the transition until the end of the year, with Pidgeon officially stepping into his new role at the start of 2017.

The university has taken the opportunity to rename the CIO position in line with other leadership roles, as well as to emphasise a growing focus on digital technologies.

Edwards revealed plans to retire in September. He ends a 10 year stint overseeing IT at the dual-sector regional university.

His predecessor Pidgeon spent the past eight years as CQU’s deputy director of technology and client services, and the prior five as an IT director at Charles Darwin University.

He led numerous IT projects at the university, including its transition from Oracle PeopleSoft Campus Solutions to a TechnologyOne student management system.

CQU senior deputy vice-chancellor and vice president of international and services Alastair Dawson said the university owed a "debt of gratitude" to Edwards for his "exemplary leadership and service" over the past decade.

"[Edwards ensured] we not only deliver on our IT promises but that we consistently exceed service delivery standards in a very difficult portfolio. Pidgeon will have big shoes to fill but is definitely up to the task," Dawson said.