The Australian National University has appointed Dr Lesley Seebeck as the inaugural CEO of its Cyber Institute.

Dr Seebeck joins ANU from the Digital Transformation Agency and brings a wealth of experience from the across the strategy, ICT and transformation sectors to the new institute.

Professor Elanor Huntington, Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science was thrilled to welcome Dr Seebeck's immense experience to the ANU.

“Dr Seebeck is a leader in cyber security, with an outstanding record of strategic planning and delivery within complex and multidisciplinary environments spanning government, industry and academia,” Professor Huntington said.

“Under Lesley’s leadership, I am confident the institute will contribute significantly to the nation’s increasing focus on Cyber Security and deliver innovative solutions to challenges faced by us all.”

Dr Seebeck said she was pleased to join ANU, and to help build national capability in such a key area of Australia’s future.

“Cyber security is a field that sits at the intersection of people, technology, organisation, society, economics and security. The Cyber Institute offers the opportunity to bring people and ideas together from across a wide range of disciplines, backgrounds and endeavours to drive innovation, meet immediate needs and shape how we, as a nation, position ourselves for the future,” Dr Seebeck said.

The ANU Cyber Institute was established to combine expertise from across a range of disciplines to conduct leading research that will help shape the nation's future in the increasingly vital fields of cyber security and innovation.

“Lesley’s appointment will strengthen the breadth of cyber related research, innovation and teaching opportunities across campus, to go beyond established boundaries and forge new paths,” Professor Huntington said.

“With a focus on bringing together people from a range of backgrounds, Lesley will contribute strongly to the Reimagine project by shaping a problem inspired teaching, research and innovation agenda for the coming decades.”

Dr Seebeck will take up the position in late July 2018.