Scentre Group's director of technology to shift to Optus

Scentre Group’s director of technology Richard Webby is headed to Optus where he will lead a newly-formed business unit called Optus Digital.

“Richard will lead our digital strategy and execution across our customer touchpoints including our online channels, Optus website and our market leading My Optus App; in addition to our data, information and analytics functions,” Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said in a statement.

“[He] brings significant experience developing and integrating customer-facing solutions across multiple digital platforms domestically and internationally and will play a key role in driving our Digital strategy across Optus.”

Webby comes from Scentre Group, the owner and operator of Westfield in Australia and New Zealand, where he effectively served as its chief information officer.

His LinkedIn bio said at Scentre Group he led “all enterprise and consumer-facing technology and services: digital, centre/mall, enterprise applications, infrastructure, operations, architecture and cyber security.”

He had been in the role for about three years. Webby will join Optus on March 1.

Prior to that, Webby was a long-time technology executive at the Walt Disney Company.

Optus also said today that it had appointed Michael Venter as its chief financial officer-designate. 

Venter will become CFO Optus Consumer Australia in six months when acting CFO Quah Kung Yang concludes a secondment from Singtel.