Mark Winter, Founder & Chairperson
Mark Winter is the Group Sales & Marketing Director for inTechnology Distribution, one of Australia’s leading and fastest growing Value Added IT Distributors (VADs). Living on the beautiful Gold Coast after growing up on Sydney’s northern beaches and travelling extensively, Marks appreciation for the environment has grown as science has increasingly illustrated the impact humanity is having on the planet.
A devoted husband father of four, Mark is your ordinary Australian bloke and businessman who has seen an opportunity to make a real difference – not just sit back and “let someone else do it”, but to drive and invest in an initiative that he truly believes in.
A business trip to Sydney during the “Lights Off Australia” (now earth hour)campaign, and the personal impact made by Al Gore’s documentary on global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth” inspired Mark to make a commitment to reducing his own carbon footprint, and encouraging others to do the same.
Three weeks later Mark received a copy of the Gartner Report which stated that “the global Information and Communications Technology industry accounts for approximately 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to the emissions of the aviation industry!” Mark had found his first target!
With 9 years experience and great business relationships within the IT industry, Mark called on his key strengths to develop the Computers Off Initiative. After first gaining the support of inTechnology’s Board of Directors, Mark has lobbied Government, business and investors to support him in his quest to have the initiative make a significant impact in it’s first year.
As Mark says, “It’s the simple actions that can make a big difference if we collectively commit to reducing our impact on the environment. I shut down my PC when I go to lunch and when I leave the office. I shut down my home PC when I’m finished using it. It’s such a simple action but makes such a big difference”.
Craig Scroggie (Deputy Chair), Vice-President, Symantec Pacific Region
Craig Scroggie is the vice president and managing director of Symantec in the Pacific region encompassing Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Scroggie is responsible for driving Symantec’s sales and business development in the region and serves as a senior leader for the overall Symantec business in Pacific which hosts more than 950 staff across 12 locations.
Previously the senior director of business development for Asia Pacific and Japan, Scroggie was responsible for leading enterprise business development for Symantec’s fastest growing region. He was also the sales director for Veritas Software Australia and New Zealand, responsible for sales, support, strategy, planning, renewals and operations. Scroggie was previously the national sales manager at Computer Associates; national channels manager for EMC Corporation; sales and marketing manager of the telecommunication and technology group for Fujitsu; national sales manager of Yamaha’s computer and multimedia products division; and the IT manager of Allans/Brashs retail chain in Australia.
Scroggie has twice served as a judge in the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioners 2008 and 2009 Australian Privacy Awards and recently gave evidence as an expert witness in the Australian Government Standing Committee on Communications Inquiry into Cyber Crime. Scroggie supports the Australian Council for Education and Research by participating in a number of programs including Principal for a Day in New South Wales and Victoria. As part of the Australian government’s Digital Economy and e-security national agenda, Scroggie partners with the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the Department of Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy to actively promote National E-Security Awareness programs and development of the Digital Economy.
Most recently, Scroggie was appointed Chairman of the La Trobe University Graduate School of Business Advisory Board, he is also the Chairman of the Storage Networking Industry Association’s (SNIA) Board and a member of the ComputersOff.org Board. He is a graduate and fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a fellow of the Australian Sales & Marketing Institute and serves on its National Advisory Committee. Scroggie is also a member of the international CEO Forum, a Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia, and a trustee for the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Scroggie is a Graduate of the University of Southern Queensland and holds post graduate qualifications in Information Technology and Management and a Masters of Business Administration (MBAD).
Robert Kenn (Treasurer), General Manager - Taxation, NBN Co
Robert Kenn is the General Manager of Taxation for NBN Co, the Commonwealth-owned company tasked with designing, building and operating Australia's first national wholesale-only, open access broadband network to all Australians, regardless of where they live. Robert is responsible for setting and implementing all tax strategy, providing professional guidance on tax to the business, and ensuring full compliance with all tax obligations of the organisation.
Robert is passionate about delivering innovative, yet practical, solutions; and he has a proven track record of generating significant benefits and savings across a diverse range of businesses. Leading high performing teams, or working autonomously, Robert has over 25 years experience working within Telco, ASX-listed and Professional Services industries: and has been based in Australia and the UK, applying his strategic, financial and governance expertise across many continents.
Previously the Group Tax Manager and Head of Company Secretariat for Vodafone Australia, Robert was responsible for ensuring the local board was able to make timely, fully informed and sustainable decisions, as well as developing and implementing tax strategies to minimize taxation. Robert's time with Vodafone included close involvement in the merger of the Vodafone Australia with Hutchison Australia, and also 18 months in the UK working on numerous corporate restructures and new business initiatives.
Prior to Vodafone, Robert's career included 5 years with Boral where he created the Group's first ever tax function during a period of significant transition and restructure, and 9 years with Price Waterhouse where he worked in audit in the UK, and then in both tax and audit in Australia.
Robert has a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Birmingham, England, is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales, and a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators.
William Ehmcke, CEO, Connection Research
In January 2009, William accepted a role to develop Connection Research Services in the Sustainability and Environmental sector. The company has since established itself as one of the premier consultants on Green IT worldwide.
He has over 35 years ICT experience, with 12 years European business experience which includes managerial positions with Olivetti, based in Italy and UK, and McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Returning to Australia in 1994, he started META Group AP, (Asia Pacific) an IT consulting business, specialising in large corporate computing infrastructure. Between 2001 and 2006, William formed a property management & investment company. Returning to IT in 2005, William was involved with online data backup products, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Telstra T-Suite SaaS business services, launched in April 2009.
Since 2000, Mr Ehmcke has been a director of two public companies, including as founding director of Customers Ltd (ASX:CUS) - a web services R&D company which has evolved from payment gateways to being the largest provider of independent ATM cash machines in Australia, and the listing of Rey Resources (ASX:REY), a mineral exploration company with leases in Western Australia, Peru and Chile.
He is also a keen jazz enthusiast, and since 2007, has been a director of Eastside FM (www.eastsidefm.org), a community radio station, based in Paddington, Sydney. During the past 3 years, William has assisted with moving the station to IP-based transmission, online streaming and negotiations with ACMA over licensing requirements.
He holds a BSc in Mathematics, Adelaide University, and an MBA, International Management Development, University of Geneve, Switzerland.
Andrew Cann, CTO, Australian Crime Commission (ACC)
Andrew Cann was a serving Western Australia Police Officer for 21 years working on the beat for eleven years before moving into Intelligence Analysis.
After deciding on a career change Andrew began studying IT part-time and transferred to Western Australia Police Major Project where he worked on a mainframe replacement project in Service Desk, Business Analysis and Testing Roles.
In 2005 he was seconded to the Australian Crime Commission to Manage the Service Desk and is now the Chief Technology Officer. Andrew's current focus is on rolling out Unified Communications, Performance Reporting and Applications Consolidation Projects for the ACC.
Andrew holds a Graduate Certificate of Business Informatics and an MBA both from the University of Canberra.
Robyn Elliott, CIO, Foxtel
Robyn is a leader in the creation of business value from information technology. She is at the forefront of the convergence of media and technology, and an advocate for the opportunities that technological change can offer organisations. As an experienced Chief Information Officer and I.T. consultant, she has a track record in successful strategy and implementation for business technology initiatives and is well-versed in the practical challenges of IT success within business organisations.
Robyn is currently the Chief Information Officer for FOXTEL, Australia's leading subscription television organisation. Over the last nine years, Robyn has led an innovative information technology program for development of media products, customer solutions, business intelligence and content delivery across cable, satellite, mobile and broadband platforms for a variety of consumer devices. FOXTEL is committed to finding opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of its operations, and the technology group have a vital role in these sustainability initiatives. These initiatives have targeted the reduction in power usage of devices and data centres, eliminating wastage of paper and resources, and the choice of partners who share these environmental values.
Prior to FOXTEL, Robyn's career included roles as CIO in financial services, and a consulting career as a Partner in Accenture and a Principal with IBM where she led projects for organisations across Australia and South East Asia. Her consulting expertise focuses on creating integrated business and technology strategies, developing customer relationship strategies and systems, and the delivery of major change programs.
Robyn has a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems, an MBA in Technology Management and has completed an executive program in Corporate Strategy at MIT. She is a Board member on the CIO Executive Council and contributes to the CIO Pathways program for the development of I.T. leaders.
Robyn is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Stephen Coates, Partner, BDO
Stephen is a Partner at professional services firm BDO. Stephen has broad governance, risk management & compliance experience across many industries including manufacturing, financial services, insurance, gaming and Government. His recent focus has been on not-for-profit Board appointments, and expansion of the internal audit profession in Australia and globally.
Stephen has significant information technology assurance & advisory experience specialising in information technology governance, risk and compliance and has been involved in major IT security and IT forensic projects throughout his career. He has been a practice leader for technology assurance & advisory work for over ten years. He is an international member of the Institute of Internal Auditor's Professional Issues Committee focusing on advanced technology issues. Stephen has presented papers nationally and internationally on his work.
In the past Stephen has founded two assurance & advisory firms; one to provide compliance & regulatory services, and the other to provide governance & risk services. He has held Non-Executive Director positions in a rural merchandise business, and a global not-for-profit organisation, and he has also served as a member of the Audit & Risk Committee for several entities. Stephen is a qualified Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Quality Reviewer for the Institute of Internal Auditors, Certified Information Systems Auditor and Certified Government Auditing Professional. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Internal Auditors (Aust), a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Justice of the Peace.
