The Government has added international experience to the board of Innovation Australia, appointing two overseas members to provide their perspective on the nation’s innovation and science agenda.
Elizabeth Comstock (USA) and Saul Singer (Israel) have been appointed to the board until 2019.
Innovation Australia is currently transitioning to Innovation and Science Australia, which will have responsibility for providing strategic whole-of-government advice to the Government on all science, research and innovation matters.
Ms Comstock brings a global strategic focus to developing innovation within business.
She is currently the Vice Chair of General Electric and leads the company's efforts to accelerate new growth through innovation, driving GE¹s transformation into a digital industrial company.
Ms Comstock is also a member of Nike's Board of Directors and Trustee President of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.
Mr Singer is a widely published author and co-wrote Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, a best-seller which investigates Israel's innovative prowess.
Israel is widely recognised as having a strong innovation culture and Mr Singer will bring that experience to Australia.
Chaired by Bill Ferris, with Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel the Deputy Chair, the board of Innovation and Science Australia includes skilled and experienced people with a proven track record of success in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship.
Innovation matters to all Australians because it is about job creation. It is about new and improved opportunities to do business, and it underpins a healthy economy.
(ENDS)