Murray-Darling Basin Authority seeks CIO

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MBDA) is seeking a new CIO following the imminent departure of Stephen Kay.

Kay joined the authority in January this year, but has since accepted the role of CIO at the Australian War Memorial.

Kay, who joined the MBDA from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science will replace Daryl Winterbottom who has worked at the memorial for more than two decades. He joined the organisation in 1989, leading the implementation of the Australian War Memorial’s collection management system and in 1992 established AWM’s Information Technology Section. Winterbottom retired from the position in September.

Kay said he had long been keen to find a role at a cultural institution.

“I’ve always wanted to work in culturals and the last CIO at the war memorial had been there for 27 years so when that pops up you don’t really say no,” he told CIO Australia.

“[The desire to work for a cultural institution] comes from working in the private sector a great deal and realising that probably wasn’t my calling in life so moving into the public sector. And I really like the public facing aspect of the cultural institutions. It’s a wide ranging area that’s for sure,” he said.

Kay will report to branch head, Corporate Services, and participate in the organisation’s Information Management Steering Group. He starts at the memorial on December 12.

Kay’s replacement at the MBDA will head a team of 25 across ICT and Information and Data Management functions. The authority is seeking candidates with a “strong technical background and a history of leading a mid-sized and complex government organisation through innovative change and reform”.