NICTA Board appoints OneVentures CEO Dr Michelle Deaker

NICTA, Australia’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of Excellence, has appointed Dr Michelle Deaker to its Board. As Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of funds management company OneVentures Pty Ltd., Dr Deaker brings a wealth of relevant ICT industry experience to her new position.

 “I am looking forward to being part of the NICTA Board, especially as it gives me a wonderful opportunity to support new IT and Communications businesses as they make their way out of laboratories and into the marketplace,” said Dr Deaker.

NICTA Chairman Neville Stevens, AO, welcomed Dr Deaker today.  “Michelle’s skills in founding, building and successfully exiting early stage technology companies are uniquely suited to the position and will complement those of our other distinguished Board members,” he said.

Dr Deaker replaces Emeritus Professor Graham Hellestrand, who is standing down from the Board to concentrate on other activities.  “Dr Hellestrand has been an extremely valuable member of the NICTA Board, bringing a high level of entrepreneurial skill and intellectual rigour to the role. He will be missed,” said Mr Stevens. Dr Hellestrand is Emeritus Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of NSW and Founder and CEO of Embedded Systems Technology.

Dr Deaker has worked in the IT Industry for over 10 years as a successful business owner and entrepreneur. She established OneVentures in 2006 after selling her market-leading electronic gift card and voucher company E Com Industries to a publicly listed UK company. The sale returned $30m cash to investors.

Through her interest in high growth companies, Dr Deaker has provided advice for, invested in and raised capital for emerging technology companies. She has extensive experience in the development of early stage companies, a strong background in Australian R&D and expertise in international business expansion.  Michelle has active board and advisory positions with OneVentures IT investee companies including Datacastle (Seattle), BuzzNumbers (Sydney) and AdGent 007 (San Francisco). 

OneVentures is a participant in the Australian Government’s Innovation Investment Fund (IIF) program. In February this year, OneVentures received a licence from the IIF for its $40m Innovation Fund, made up of $20m in Government funding to match $20m private sector capital.

Dr Deaker joins the nine other members of the NICTA Board: Mr Neville Stevens AO (Chair), Dr David Skellern (CEO), Prof. Michael Brooks, Ms Jennifer Clark,  Mr Loftus Harris AM, Dr Chris Beare, Mr George Campbell OAM, Prof. Barney Glover and Mr Brand Hoff.  

About NICTA

National ICT Australia Ltd (NICTA), Australia’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of Excellence, is developing technologies which will meet the current and future needs of the community in fields which will lead to large economic, social and environmental benefits for Australia. NICTA has five laboratories around the country. Since NICTA was founded in 2002, it has created four new companies, developed a substantial technology portfolio of patent applications and continues to supply new talent to the ICT industry through the NICTA-enhanced PhD program.

NICTA is funded by the Australian Government as represented by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Australian Research Council through the ICT Centre of Excellence program. In addition to federal funding NICTA is also funded and supported by the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian Governments, The Australian National University, Griffith University, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and The University of Sydney.

For further information:

Dorothy Kennedy

Communications Specialist, NICTA

Ph: 02 9376 2098 or 0488 229 687