Fiona Elizabeth Balfour AM (born 14 August 1958)[1] is an Australian business executive in the field of information technology. She has been named Chief Information Officer of the Year in Australia four times: 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.[2] In 2006 she was awarded the Pearcey Award for distinguished lifetime achievement and contribution to the development and growth of Australian IT professions, research and industry.[3] In 2017 she was appointed to the board of the Western Sydney Airport Corporation by Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher.[4] In May 2021 she was appointed to the board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation by communications minister Paul Fletcher[5] against the recommendations of an independent panel.[4]
Fiona Balfour | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 August 1958 Melbourne, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Monash University, University of New South Wales, RMIT University |
| Known for | Chief Information Officer at Telstra |
| Awards | Pearcey Award |
Life
editBalfour was born in Melbourne, Australia, and completed a bachelor of arts degree in English and history at Monash University in 1979.[6] She initially worked in the public sector, in the Victorian State Public Service followed by the Commonwealth Government, in roles related to project management and project leadership.[2][3] From 1985 to 1991 she worked in management consulting and continued her studies with a Graduate Diploma in Information Management from the University of New South Wales and an MBA from RMIT University.[7]
In 1992, Balfour joined Qantas and held a variety of positions before being appointed Chief Information Officer and a member of the Qantas Executive Committee in 2001. In 2003, her roles was expanded to include IT, procurement, property, financial services, and human resources services.[3]
In 2006, she was appointed Chief Information Officer at Telstra, a position she held for ten months.[8] Balfour went on to hold a number of non-executive director positions and to teach at the University of New South Wales Business School.[2] Balfour joined ABC board in 2021.[9]
Balfour was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours for "significant service to corporate governance, and to the aviation sector".[10]
References
edit- ^ Who's Who in Australia. ConnectWeb. 2023.
- ^ a b c "Fiona Balfour". UNSW Business School. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ a b c "2006 Pearcey Medal » Pearcey". pearcey.org.au. Archived from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ a b "On his selection: minister ignored two prominent women for ABC board spots, picking female mate instead". Crikey. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ Former News Corp chief, Channel 7 executive among new ABC board members ABC News, 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Steel yourself for more disruption". Monash University. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ "Fiona Balfour | Chief Executive Women". cew.org.au. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ Levinson, Meridith. "Fiona Balfour Leaves Telstra". CIO. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ "Former News Corp executive joins ABC board". Australian Financial Review. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "King's Birthday 2023 Honours - the full list". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. 11 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.