Chris Althaus was appointed as CEO of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) in 2005.
AMTA is the peak industry organisation representing Australia’s mobile telecommunications sector and operates programs covering all aspects of the mobile ecosystem, such as: telecommunications policy, mobile network infrastructure, radiofrequency spectrum, health and safety, product stewardship / e-waste and recycling, national security, content regulation and consumer awareness and education.
Prior to joining AMTA Mr Althaus held Chief Executive roles leading national industry associations representing the Australian road transport and logistics industry and the Australian forests and forest products sector.
Mr Althaus has a Bachelor of Science from the Australian National University; a Graduate Diploma in Economics from the University of Canberra; and a Business Administration Diploma from Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
Renee Bowker co-founded Telco Together Foundation in 2012. Renee leads the organisation to leverage the talents, technology and customer reach of the telecommunications industry in support of disadvantaged communities, with specific programs around Text Giving and the Skills Exchange.
An experienced senior manager & strategic marketer with more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry in Australia, Ireland and the USA, Renee has transitioned to the Foundation Board as Executive Director in 2018.
She has a degree in marketing and psychology from the University of Tasmania.
Mike Briers was named in the Knowledge Nation 100 as Australia' chief evangelist for big data and the internet of things (IoT) and appointed Australia’s first Industry Professor of IoT at UTS. He is currently the Founding CEO of the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre to empower Australia's food industry to grow its comparative advantage through digital service innovation. Mike is a co-founder and Director of the Internet of Things Alliance Australia and the Knowledge Economy Institute.
Mike's pioneering efforts in fintech and e-research led to the global success of SIRCA and the founding of big data company RoZetta, e-research service provider Intersect Australia, and co-founding of Capital Markets CRC and AgTech business, The Yield.
David Epstein is a non-executive director and consultant, specialising in political risk management, public affairs, and regulatory strategy. He chairs Communications Compliance, the TCP code compliance body for the telecommunications industry, and is an Adjunct Professor at the Deakin Business School of Deakin University.
David's career spans consultancy, working as a senior executive at Qantas, BHP and Singtel-Optus, and as a senior adviser to three Australian Prime Ministers, culminating as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.
Educated at The ANU and Wharton, he is a non-executive director of Opera Australia, The Asia Society-Australia, the Can-Too Foundation and the European Australian Business Council. He sits on advisory boards for IoTStream Limited, the Advisory Board Centre and the Head On Photo Festival Foundation.
David also volunteers with the NSW Rural Fire Service, and enjoys photography, food history, cycling, long walks, gardening and travel.
Ron Gauci has developed a significant reputation as the "Go To" executive for organisations that are looking for significant growth, transformation, asset leverage, good governance and/or quality leadership. He has an extensive track record of rapidly achieving success regardless of how difficult the challenges, through the development of a visionary strategic plan that all stakeholders buy in to. He enjoys taking organisations yet to realise their growth opportunities, setting them on a journey of reaching that potential. Ron has an innate ability to navigate through complex environments & stakeholders generating opportunity & growth despite any adversities, challenges or industry. He is recognised as an inspirational leader with a reputation for getting the best out of his teams' and getting things done. He is also a strong keynote speaker at corporate events, conferences and development workshops.
Examples of previous roles that Ron has held include Interim positions as CEO at Fed Square, Melbourne Storm, and Melbourne Polytechnic (Formerly NMIT). As CEO & MD of the Melbourne Storm, Ron navigated the club to success post the Salary Cap scandal that rocked the sporting world. Despite not having any direct experience in rugby league, he oversaw the restoration of the Storm to what was at that time its most successful level since its inception in 1998 and the club is now an NRL powerhouse.
Ron built and implemented a recovery strategy for the financially challenged Melbourne Polytechnic. Today the institute is recognised as one of the leaders in dual sector education in Australia. Gauci has also held senior positions in some of the largest multinational and domestic technology organisations. He is a Graduate of AICD and has extensive Board experience across a variety of different industries including being the current Chairman of Vicsport and is also a powerful executive coach.
Ron is the CEO of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA). He is married with 5 children and 7 grandchildren, with a love for music and sport including playing in a rock band and coaching a woman’s football team.
Garry Hausfeld is an independent consulting engineer in satellite communications, and principle of Hausfeld Consulting since 2002.
With over 30 years of experience in the international telecommunications industry, Garry has been providing independent technical advice and engineering consultancy services to Telcos in the Asia Pacific region for the last 16 years.
Since forming Hausfeld Consulting in 2002, Garry has provided satcom engineering consultancy services to a wide range of clients in Australia, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands.
Garry has a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from Newcastle University, a Master of Engineering Science degree from the University of New South Wales, and a Graduate Certificate in Management from the University of Southern Queensland.
Garry is a current member of the Institute of Engineers Australia, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Mark McDonnell has an extensive background in the telecommunications, IT and media industries with a career encompassing government policy advice, business analysis, management consultancy, investment banking and stockbroking. For the past 40 years he has been actively involved in assessing trends and developments in the communications industry, and valuing listed companies in this sector.
Between 2000 and 2014, Mark was Senior Analyst in Telecommunications, Media and Technology at BBY Limited and also worked in the investment banking operations of the firm on various M&A and equity market listings for companies in the TMT sector. In the 1990s Mark was an industry consultant. His clients included Telstra, Optus, Telecom New Zealand, IBM, Ericsson, GE Information Services and many others. Mark was also the founding CEO of ASTRA, the pay television industry association.
In the 1980s Mark was employed in the policy division of the then Department of Posts and Telecommunications, and later gained regulatory and public inquiry experience in the then Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. He saw out that decade as a business analyst and manager of policy development for Aussat, the national satellite carrier.
Mark has a Master's degree in Applied Finance and Investment and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Until 2013, Deena Shiff was a Group Managing Director at Telstra, in turn, running the Wholesale Division; establishing the business division, Telstra Business; and setting up and leading Telstra Ventures, Telstra’s corporate venture capital arm.
Prior to that, Deena had a legal career including as in-house counsel at Telstra and as a partner at law firm Mallesons, Stephen Jacques.
Since leaving Telstra, Deena has served on the board of Australia’s export credit agency, Efic, as Deputy Chair. She was Chairman of the Government's Regional Telecommunications Review in 2015. Deena is currently the Chairman of global communications company, BAI Communications, which own Broadcast Australia in Australia, as well as communications companies in North America and Hong Kong.
Deena is also the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Marley Spoon AG, the Chairman of a CRC, and on the boards of Appen (asx:apx), Infrastructure Australia and Opera Australia.
John Stanton is a seasoned communications industry executive with over 20 years of experience.
John is also Chairman of the Executive Council of the IoT Alliance Australia (IoTAA) - a collaboration of more than 150 companies and stakeholders from academia, Government and the consumer sector, dedicated to harnessing the opportunities of the Internet of Things for the Australian economy.
From 2006-2009 John was CEO of ASX and NZX-listed telecommunications carrier, People Telecom. Under his leadership, People Telecom became profitable and was recognised as Australia's Best Regional Service Provider in the Australian Telecom Awards 2007. In early 2009 the Company was sold to M2 Telecommunications.
Prior to that John was an executive with Intelsat, the largest provider of fixed satellite services worldwide. Based in the UK from 2001-2005, he was President and Director of Intelsat Global Sales & Marketing and of the Data, Carrier and Internet Business Unit. John also spent two years in the US with Intelsat as Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 1999-2001.
John joined Telstra in 1992 as a result of the merger with OTC where he was Manager of Public Affairs. From 1992-1999 John held a number of roles with Telstra including Managing Director of Payphones and Card Services. From 1996-1997 he was also Chairman of the Intelsat Board.
In his early career, John worked as a journalist and as a press secretary with the Australian Government.
Jo Ucukalo is on a mission to perfect the consumer experience.
The lifeblood of business is a fantastic consumer experience. For the last 10 years, Jo Ucukalo has been helping companies and consumers alike improve their bottom lines. Jo works with consumers and companies themselves, to champion customer service done the right way, whether online, brick and mortar or in-service businesses. Through her businesses, Handle My Complaint and Two Hoots, Jo has helped resolve over 12,000 complaints and counting.
Jo advocates on behalf of consumers and brings thought-leadership to a variety of industry panels where she provides unique insights into the shifting relationships between consumers and organisations enabled by technology.
With more than 600 Media stories, Jo is called upon to critique B2C offerings and provide advice for consumers. An accomplished presenter and panelist, she has built a reputation as an industry expert & social commentator.
Her background with excellent service providers such as Virgin Airlines, along with being a qualified Civil Engineer allow her to analyse the consumer experience from design through to delivery.
Rebecca Wallace is the founder and CEO of the Launch Group. For over 13 years the Group has provided expert technical talent, project services and mobile construction services to the telecommunications sector. The organisation operates in all Australian States, with a skilled workforce dedicated to providing human resourcing and talent solutions to communications companies and the wider IT industry.
Rebecca is a passionate advocate for the industry. She encourages young, smart candidates to join the industry and consistently maintains a pipeline of demand driven talent for the Launch customers.
Rebecca is double degree educated and AICD qualified. She started her career in education and is still a passionate educator aiming to provide a learning environment for all employees. She is an active member of Communications Alliance, CEO Institute, AICD, American Chamber, AIM, RCSA and APSCO.
