Stockland snaps up former Fairfax CIO Elliott

Property group Stockland has appointed former Fairfax CIO Robyn Elliott as chief technology and innovation officer.

In the newly created role, Elliott will sit on the Executive Team and report directly to managing director and CEO, Mark Steinert.

Elliott joins from Fairfax where she led the customer-centred design and agile development of digital products as CIO for close to three years. She was involved in a number of innovation initiatives at the publishing group including the Australian Financial Review mobile app, and the launches of online brands Domain, GoodFood and Traveller.

On leaving Fairfax, the company’s CEO, Greg Hywood said Elliott had helped make Fairfax IT “fit for the future” and led a hugely successful transformation.

Prior to Fairfax, Elliott spent 12 years as CIO at Foxtel. She has completed the Strategy and Innovation Executive Program at MIT and has an MBA in Technology Management.

“The creation of this executive level position, the opportunity to capitalise on the synergies between innovation and technology, and the experience Robyn brings will further enhance our ability to progress commercial outcomes from innovation projects. It will also position us to use technology to further improve the mobility and flexibility of our workforce, enhancing customer service and the competitive advantage of our business,” said CEO Mark Steinert in a statement this morning.

“Innovation and technology are key focus areas at Stockland, and over the past two years we’ve significantly increased our investment in digitising our business and driving innovation projects and initiatives to help improve customer experience and grow our business,” he added.

Stockland is one of the largest diversified property groups in Australia with more than $17.9 billion of real estate assets across retail, residential, retirement villages and offices.

It has run a company-wide innovation program since 2015. Since August last year, it has been experimenting with humanoid robots at its Merrylands Shopping Centre in western Sydney in a partnership between Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the Australian Technology Network of Universities and University of Technology Sydney.

"We’re interested in how robotics could be used in our business parks and logistics centres, shopping centres and our residential and retirement living communities," Steinert said at the time, "this partnership is about defining the future rather than waiting for it to happen to us."

Fairfax Media last month named Rainer Rhedey as general manager of technology, a new role that replaces Elliott’s CIO responsibilities.