Services Australia CIO to lead Digital Victoria

Michael McNamara has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of recently established entity Digital Victoria.

With experience leading complex digital change, both within Australia and globally, McNamara has worked in the financial services and energy sectors, including leading ANZ’s workplace experience transformation. He will begin in the new role at the end of September with the current acting CEO Vivien Allimonos continuing as acting CEO until then.

Since January 2019, Michael McNamara has been the Chief Information Officer for the Commonwealth agency Services Australia. During the coronavirus pandemic, he led the agency in delivering online services to millions of Australians. He has many years of experience as a senior executive delivering digital and technology transformation, which he will bring to the new group established within the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Digital Victoria was established in November last year, backed by a $195.9 million investment to centralise and simplify the government’s IT services — reducing the costs and improving the delivery of services to Victorians.

McNamara will lead Digital Victoria’s mission to grow the state’s digital economy, improve the customer experience and deliver more online services to all Victorians. Service Victoria, which now sits under the umbrella of Digital Victoria, has played a key role providing services for Victorians throughout the pandemic with the Service Victoria check-in app, border entry permits and more.

Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson said, “Michael McNamara is an outstanding leader who brings a wealth of public, corporate and international experience to his new role leading Digital Victoria — I congratulate him on his appointment.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Egor