ACIAR has an executive management governance structure. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) manages the administrative and financial affairs of ACIAR and its staff, subject to, and in accordance with, any directions given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The CEO leads an executive team, which provides strategic leadership of the agency to ensure program delivery is consistent with government policy objectives to an appropriate level of performance. The Executive undertakes key strategic discussions, considers emerging risks,
and considers and actions recommendations of agency staff.

The ACIAR organisational structure at 30 June 2020 is shown at Appendix 1. Organisational structure.

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Professor Andrew Campbell is the ACIAR CEO and was appointed to the role on 31 July, 2016.

Previously, Andrew was the inaugural Director of the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods at Charles Darwin University, in the Northern Territory. Andrew has played influential roles in sustainable agriculture and natural resource management in Australia for more than
30 years.

Andrew has a Diploma of Forestry from Creswick, a Bachelor of Forest Science (Hons) from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Science (Management of Agricultural Knowledge Systems) from Wageningen University in The Netherlands. Professor Campbell is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Technology and Engineering, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an honorary Professorial Fellow at the Australian National University and Charles Darwin University.

Chief Finance Officer

Chief Finance Officer

The Chief Finance Officer is responsible for providing strategic financial advice to the organisation, in addition to managing human resources, business systems (IT), procurement, legal, property and other corporate activity.

Ms Audrey Gormley joined ACIAR in July 2017 and has more than 30 years’ experience in all facets of finance and accounting both at strategic and operational levels, working in investment banking and insurance sectors before joining the Australian Government. Prior to joining ACIAR, Audrey was Chief Finance Officer at Food Standards Australia New Zealand for more than 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Chief Scientist

Chief Scientist

The Chief Scientist oversees the strategic science focus of the ACIAR research portfolio and its impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation work. The Chief Scientist also provides leadership for Research Program Managers across nine research areas, and oversight of our relationship with the Australian innovation system.

Dr Daniel Walker joined ACIAR in November 2017 to take up the newly-created role of Chief Scientist. Prior to ACIAR, Daniel spent 23 years at CSIRO, where he was Research Director for Agriculture and Global Change with CSIRO Agriculture and Food and previously, Chief of CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences. Daniel has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in agriculture, forestry and rural economy from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD from the University of Wales.

General Manager, Country Programs

General Manager, Country Programs

The General Manager, Country Programs is responsible for leading and setting the research strategy for ACIAR country (bilateral) programs, managing the ACIAR country office network, and leading the engagement with key research partners and stakeholders, in Australia and overseas.

Previously, Dr Peter Horne was Research Program Manager for Livestock Production Systems for ACIAR. Peter has spent most of his career based in Asia involved in agricultural research-for-development, with a particular focus on forages and livestock systems. Peter has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in environmental sciences from Griffith University and a PhD in tropical forage agronomy from University of New England, Australia.

General Manager, Outreach and Capacity Building

General Manager, Outreach and Capacity Building

The General Manager, Outreach and Capacity Building leads the development and implementation of the ACIAR outreach strategy, and leads and directs a team responsible for the ACIAR communications, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and outreach activities.

Ms Eleanor Dean has worked in public affairs and communication for the Australian Government for more than 25 years, on a diverse range of issues including natural resource management, biodiversity, education and training. Prior to joining ACIAR in 2017, Eleanor led the safety promotion and communication branch at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. She has a Bachelor of Communication (Hons) from the University of Canberra.

General Manager, Global Program

Up until October 2019, the ACIAR Executive also included the position General Manager, Global Program. The Global Program led the formulation and implementation of Australia’s stakeholder engagement with CGIAR and other international agricultural research centres, and provided oversight of ACIAR co-investment alliances, notably with DFAT and the Canadian International Development Research Center. On the resignation of the General Manager, Global Program in October 2019, Ms Mellissa Wood, the functions of the role were delegated to the new position of Director, Multilateral Engagement and to existing roles in ACIAR.

Ms Mellissa Wood joined ACIAR in 2012 and was appointed General Manager, Global Program in 2015. Prior to ACIAR, Mellissa held positions improving the adoption of research outputs for food and nutrition security, through partnering with policymakers and the private sector, including with the Crop Trust in Rome. She holds a Bachelor of Science in resource and environmental management and Master of Public Policy in development.