Profiles

Fiona Beatty is Assistant Director Information Governance at Australian Financial Security Authority, where in 2019 she received an Australia Day award for Public Service.

Fiona started in the world of information governance while on a temporary placement in local government ten years ago. She now leads the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies and the promotion and maintenance of the AFSA Information Governance Framework.

Tell us about yourself?

I live in beautiful Brisbane with my husband, 2 dogs, cat and all the local birds! We love the leafy existence so close to the city and feel truly privileged to live here. I enjoy spending time in our garden and appreciate the bounty of the land (small as it is) with mangoes, bananas, star fruit, chocolate pudding fruit, pawpaw, guava and my fresh herbs.

I love to cook but find that I have less time to do it these days. I picked up a new favourite hobby during COVID – clothing re-purposing – where I take old garments and remodel them into new creations – mostly from my husbands’ wardrobe.

I am a mother to four grown men – and I survived! My boys are my truest joy and I hope that before too long I will gain daughters in law.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)? 

I have always had an organised view of the world and find myself happiest when all things are well-organised and efficient.

I stumbled into the world of information governance when I was on a temporary placement in local government and I started to read the administration guide for the system we were running. I began asking questions about why we weren’t utilising functionality that was OOTB and was blessed to be given an opportunity to show exactly how we could improve things. I went on to upgrade our systems and implement new platforms.

I haven’t looked back and can’t imagine being in another industry that would allow my natural abilities to shine as much as the information governance field has.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

My current role is a true IG position – at least I see it that way. I am responsible to advise direction and drive the change required to mature the existence of frameworks and practices to support the required understanding of information management and the associated business components to enable better outcomes for our staff and our clients.

My role has developed over time as I have been able to effectively communicate the broader information governance landscape to our executive.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

The main pressure I see is technology driving decisions rather than business needs.

Our responsibility as practitioners is to ensure we are passing relevant information on to the appropriate decision makers to allow IG to be a leading decision point and not an after-thought.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

I have witnessed a broader understanding and acceptance of the relevance of IG as being an underpinning requirement for all business. The development of the CIGO (Chief Information Governance Officer) concept has allowed an authoritative seat at the table for information governance. I see the principle that if we get our information strategy right we will be able to build on that foundation to leverage better corporate outcomes building greater backing.

Driving strategy and leveraging appropriate technologies will see Information Governance mature and flourish.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

Ask questions – lots of them, never grow tired of looking at new things and don’t take it personally – when people don’t like the systems, processes, or frameworks you recommend. See it as a challenge to help them understand – because ultimately what we do really matters, they just don’t realise it yet!

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

The IG industry is on the verge of significant change. We have seen rapid change in the way that people live and work with technology and we need to move our mindset away from the way we’ve always done things and be open to new and efficient ways of working and supporting this important work.

The growth of information across the globe means there are not enough physical records managers to keep up with it. The added complexity of environments means we need new ways of managing the information lifecycle and I believe this must include machine learning. We need to be in front of this conversation to ensure that the appropriate governance and testing is done to support best practice outcomes for future Info Gov generations.

Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?

InfoGovANZ has been doing a great job of bringing together experts (SME’s) to elevate the conversation surrounding change and requirements across industry.

The collegiate discussions and educational presentations are helping to mature views on the validity of IG, especially in our changing environment.

Peter is a member of InfoGovANZ's Advisory board, Director in the KPMG Forensic Technology practice and his previous experience includes leading the Sydney Forensic IT practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Acting Sergeant in the NSW Police High Tech Crime Unit.

Over the course of a combined 20 years in these roles, Peter has undertaken analysis of electronic evidence in hundreds of criminal and civil matters, presented expert evidence to state and federal courts, investigated and remediated internal and external data breaches for numerous organisations, managed complex electronic discovery environments, and provided advice to government, public and private organisations in relation to cybersecurity and IT governance related issues.

Tell us about yourself?

I’ve been really fortunate to have had opportunities to chase a variety of careers and interests. My career path started with the NSW Police which ended with a stint as a digital evidence specialist. This position helped me to jump into a career in digital forensics consulting at PWC, where I also completed an MBA at UTS. I then jumped into a lecturing position at the same uni while completing a PhD in IT Governance, keeping my hand in consulting with a part time position at Ferrier Hodgson. I returned to full time digital forensics and eDiscovery consulting at KPMG in 2019.

What has kept me in the digital forensics field for so long is the puzzle solving aspects – trying to piece together actions and motives from digital activity traces is a great challenge! I’m also a dad to three wonderful kids (including a set of twins) who are really good at soaking up most of my free time.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)? 

My professional focus is primarily on forensic technology, electronic discovery and post-IT incident review. Much like when I was a police officer, working in these fields has meant I usually turn up at an organisation when they are dealing with a crisis.

Over time, I began to identify common themes in the underlying causes of IT incidents I investigated that generally led back to either a lack of an effective IT governance framework or the failure to properly implement/follow the framework. This realisation was what lead to my interest in IT governance and my PhD topic.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

My current role is investigating breakdowns in good IG practice – everything from technical security incidents to IT procurement & project failures. In addition to providing expert reporting where necessary, I also identify root causes and provide guidance for improvement where the job scope allows for such.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

As there always has been, there is a constant friction between following “best” practices and workflow efficiency (e.g. the battle between data security and availability). On the flip side, I think many organisations still fall into the trap of thinking that IG is really just risk management with a fancy name. The pandemic, rise in privacy regulations and constant newsfeed regarding IT security incidents has really driven this risk focused view to the fore. However, it is important that those charged with responsibility for IG need to be thinking in terms of both risk and reward when it comes to information and technology.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

In the last 5 years we have seen a lot of activity in the IG thought leadership space – it is great to see industry bodies and professional groups really trying to build comprehensive frameworks and guidance around a holistic view of information and technology rather than continuing to build in a piecemeal way. Leaders have become increasingly aware of the value of properly governing organisational information, however this has unfortunately given rise to a far more active and dangerous criminal element seeking to profit from this increased realisation of value.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

IG is such a broad field, and even amongst experienced IG specialists there are very few who could accurately claim to be fully across everything that IG encompasses. I would recommend picking one or two focus areas that are of interest and specialising in that field. Once you have developed a core skillset it will help you to branch out into other areas (via training or other professional development), understand how your area ties into (or should tie into) an IG framework and identify opportunities to put forward or participate in IG efforts within your organisation.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

Organisations are still sorting out their preferences on cloud technology and machine learning, dealing with the challenges of unstructured data and privacy regulations, and grappling to really understand the risks and benefits of these issues at a leadership level. This is where IG really needs to come to the fore to help leaders make sense of the wild array of tech, legal and operational issues at play.

We will see better performing organisations really break down the cultural and functional silos between IT, internal counsel, risk management and operations to ensure that the risk vs reward for technology opportunities is properly understood and effectively acted on. These organisations will have responsive and evolving IG frameworks in place, almost certainly giving them a competitive advantage over those without.

Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?

Information technology is such a rapidly evolving field, even in a highly specialised area such as digital forensics I am constantly learning and updating my knowledge. Expanding that out into all of the legal, risk and operational aspects encompassed by IG – it becomes an increasingly difficult task to stay on top of just the critical issues. Participating in InfoGovANZ events and reviewing the great content coming through the newsletters  has not only given me a great way to stay on top of current events, it has also given me the opportunity to meet and become acquainted with an amazing group of individuals from a vast array of backgrounds. It really has helped me feel that if I don’t know the answer to an IG question, I surely know someone who does!

Tell us about yourself?

I live on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula with my husband, two children and Great Dane/Mastiff Cross, Lex. I have led information management (IM) and governance (IG) programs in various industries for over 20 years, including development of data and information strategy and frameworks and implementation of enterprise IM and IG programs. I have had the opportunity over the years to learn various disciplines including change and project management, risk and compliance management and in recent years have been learning about the discipline of Business Architecture and how it can be used support strategic planning and inform the programs I lead.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)? 

When I was in high school I wanted to be a physiotherapist. During work experience in year 11 I ended up being the patient, nearly fainting while helping the physio with a patient. That and other incidents when visiting hospitals made me rethink my career path. A lecturer from Deakin Uni visited my school and introduced me to a new Bachelor of Applied Science course they had recently developed in Information Management. Fast forward 30 years and I have never regretted the decision to undertake this course and do further studies completing my Master of Business (Information Innovation) in 2002 at RMIT. I have had the opportunity to work and live in London and Sydney, however the majority of my working life has been spent in Melbourne leading information management and governance capability uplift in organisations including BHP Billiton, Telstra, Port of Melbourne, APA Group, Victoria Police and Holmesglen Institute.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

I recently joined a mid-sized Not-for-Profit organisation and am in the process of establishing their information management and governance function. This is a new role for the organisation and I am excited to have the opportunity to build capability across the data, information and knowledge management domains in order to continuously improve the services we provide to our customers. As the nominated Privacy Officer I also have the opportunity to ensure appropriate information security controls are embedded within the organisation. The Victorian Protective Data Security Framework is a great resource for any organisation wanting to uplift their information security posture.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

Increasing expectations from customers to ensure their information is accurate and secure and their experience when using an organisation’s services is consistent and competent is a key driver. As Government increasingly outsources services to third party organisations, those organisations are required to demonstrate compliance to relevant industry and regulatory standards, including the ability to demonstrate appropriate information governance of the data they are managing on the Government’s behalf. Business cases which can demonstrate how IG can enable the organisation to do more with less will also be more likely to succeed due to the ongoing need to drive operational costs lower.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

One of the most important developments driving change within organisations is the establishment of data and information governance functions and roles both within the analytics domain and the overall information management domain. The establishment of information governance roles demonstrates the increasing importance of this function for an organisation to address information risk and increase information value.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

When planning the implementation of an Information Governance program consider what the desired state is from a people, processes, information and technology perspective. All of these elements need to be addressed as part of a program of work if you want to create sustainable change.

Keep growing and sharpening the tools in your toolbox – change and project management, risk and compliance management are just some of the domains worthy of pursuit and are all enablers of an IG program / function.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

I am hopeful that increasing access to quality data sets as well as increasing collaboration between Government and industry will have a significant impact on the ability to effectively use, manage and share data and information to help inform solutions to significant problems the world is facing.

Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?

There has been a lot of great work done in IG, however with much more to be done InfoGovANZ provides the thought leadership and creates a space for this wonderful network of passionate people to grow their share their experience. I find it challenging to keep up with legal and regulatory changes and appreciate the valuable insights that Susan and her team provide.

Bryn Bowen, is the Principal at Greenheart Consulting Partners, which is a governance, risk and compliance information consulting practice based in the US. He is also a member of the InfoGovANZ International Council.  Bryn shares his insights from his 30 years of IG experience, including his predictions for the future of IG, his top tips for those starting out in IG.

Tell us about yourself?

I am a seeker of wisdom and experience, and enjoy much of what life has to offer. I find (many) people and their stories interesting, and enjoy the range of arts and sciences, from architecture to Nigerian artists to zoology! I cherish time with my family and friends around the world, which means that I also like to travel, eat and drink. I enjoy sports, particularly West Indies cricket (Guyanese roots) and F1 (Lewis Hamilton is an icon), and these have supplanted my years as a baseball and soccer coaching dad for my sons’ various teams. My love for the FitzGerald translation of the ancient Persian poet Omar Khayyam’s Rubiyat is indicative of my general philosophy of life, as is the Dr. Martin Luther King insistence on employing “the fierce urgency of now”.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

After having studied organo-metallic chemistry to the Master’s level, I brought scientific methodology to the area of legal conflicts and compliance. In 1999/2000 my team was responsible for the conflicts and compliance clearance for what was then the largest transatlantic law firm merger, resulting in the magic circle behemoth 3,200 lawyer Clifford Chance LLP. We quickly realized that clean, accurate, available data and information was key to ensuring the success of this merger and we worked with the IT, Marketing and Finance folk to develop the global processes, technology infrastructure and staffing profiles to make this happen. Back then no one used the word "governance”, but that was exactly what we were doing

Tell us about your current role in IG?

I ultimately left Clifford Chance to establish a consulting practice to advise the many firms that were part of the law firm merger craze of the 2000’s, then moved back and forth over the years between law firms and my consulting practice. I’m currently in the third iteration of the consulting role, this time tackling IG on a much larger scale

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

The biggest impediment to successfully implementing an IG program is the degree of change management that must be baked into the planning, execution and maintenance/evolutionary phases of operations. Most organizational and technical leaders recognize that best practice IG allows their enterprises to better realize and maximize their goals by leveraging and unlocking the value of their data and information assets, but many are unable to creatively navigate the degree of disruption.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

Too many to list, however the key ones are, always involve practitioners and stewards along the entire data and information process in developing and implementing an IG program, and never be afraid to say you don’t know the answer to a question in the moment (but then make sure you do in short order!)

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

Where it belongs, largely behind the scenes, freeing the frontline business to operate without impediment, but working furiously beneath the surface (algorithmically) to ensure it’s doing so within clear guidelines, much like a duck on the water!

The framework that IG offers is absolutely essential to have any chance of properly managing data and information in this data driven world. The methodology and discipline that a well conceived IG program offers is akin to the blend of music theory, scales and endless practice that a dedicated musician needs to immerse herself in before truly reaping the benefits of a seamless and inspiring performance. In ideal application, IG principles are baked into structures and processes, and allow the level of knowledge and wisdom gleaned from the data and information to be maximized, with lower risk and full compliance.

Why it is important to be a member of InfoGov ANZ 

Well I already mentioned that I love to travel and meet people…… but in addition, I think that perspective and exposure to different scenarios and frameworks is crucial to one being a better, more rounded practitioner. Susan’s stewardship of InfoGovANZ makes those situations easy by it being the logical nexus of IG experience in the region, and I’m thrilled to be part of the International Council for that reason.

Tell us about yourself?

I grew up in Sarawak, Malaysia and I have worked in various Information Technology disciplines over the past 20 years. For the last 6 years I have been responsible for managing, leading and implementing information and records governance strategy, policies and initiatives for a power utility company in Malaysia.

I also recently obtained the Certified Information Professional (CIP) by AIIM as my career certification path. I am a proud mother of 2 children. I enjoy zumba and I am passionate about family, friends and healthy balanced lifestyle.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

Working for an end-to-end energy service provider, the organization operates in a highly regulated industry. In such environment, it is critical for the organization to clearly identify and abide to the relevant regulations and codes of practices. I was tasked to lead the new IG section and to achieve the set objectives and that was how I started in the world of IG.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

I think information security is a major driving force for organization to implement Information Governance. Today’s organizations are faced with the overwhelming challenge of managing, finding, and leveraging their information. Before any organisation can find or leverage on any of it, organizations need to first make sure they are safeguarded. The needs have become more apparent as more and more disruptive technologies are invented and rolled out into the industries. One example that I can give is cybersecurity which organisations must tackle. Access to information has become so discrete and fluid that safeguarding the information has become that much harder.

Another pressure point is the need for compliance to regulatory requirements. Organizations would require Information Governance for this to happen. And the challenge of getting this right has become harder than ever. Nowadays, organizations are having difficulties in getting the required critical business information for decision making and organization is also at risk in losing critical business information. As information disorganization are common in many organizations, it increases the risk in breach of information confidentiality, integrity and availability. Non-compliant organizations risk incurring much more than just heavy fine. Loss of customers trust and a damaged reputation are just a few of the risks if information is not tended to properly. These thus put pressure on organizations to embark on IG best practices as quickly and accurately as possible.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

Over the last 5 years, the biggest developments that I have seen in the IG is the employment of qualified information management professionals with appropriate skills and competencies. The numbers of certified information management professionals have grown in leaps and bounds all over the world. Moreover, there are various paths to Information Governance professional development nowadays. Formal certifications paths are globally available for IG professionals to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in various information management-related disciplines.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

I think individuals should get as much experience in all areas of Information Governance; strategy and policy, information and privacy, law and regulations, records management, and technology. One helpful advantage is to not think in silo, as governance cuts across domains of management and technology. All these experiences are part and parcels of the journey to implementing proper Information Governance. Never stop learning as Information Governance is a continually evolving program, changing as technology and business needs change.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

As we enter a new decade, we are seeing more and more organizations adopting cutting edge technology and cloud-based workplace. We can work anytime, anywhere! This makes information increasingly tougher to control. Information growth will go on and the need for Information governance cannot be disregarded. I believe organisations will increase their spending on Information Governance products and services to be better equipped when it comes to managing their information.

The future of Information Governance is unquestionably bright. I can see Information Governance gaining more traction within organisations as we enter a world where compliance and security are becoming a competitive edge.

Information Governance by its nature interdisciplinary. In my opinion, to be successful, organization will need to adopt a holistic approach. It takes effort and good collaboration from various teams namely IT, RIM, Audit, Legal and Business Operations in an organization to manage information appropriately and successfully. Any organization that recognizes this effort will undoubtedly be leading the future of information governance.

Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?

InfoGovANZ is an interconnected space where members have access to experienced international information governance practitioners sharing and exchanging knowledge, experience and ideas about IG best practices. The networking and professional events are excellent which I find it useful for making new contacts and learning more about what’s happening in the information governance space. I feel very privileged to be a part of InfoGovANZ.

Ilana brings more than 20 years of experience as an information professional in government, corporate, industry and nonprofit sectors to Information Governance ANZ's International Council.

Having worked in a variety of roles across the information management spectrum, she is dedicated to assisting organizations to be in control of their information assets and helping her clients gain access to the right information at the right time at the lowest cost to maximize workplace productivity. To this end, she utilizes her experience in records management, discovery, litigation support, legal operations, cloud risk evaluation, data privacy and building bridges across disciplines.

Tell us about yourself?

I grew up in suburban Sydney and I’ve moved countries twice, first to Israel and then to NJ, USA where I’ve been for twenty years. Subsequently, I’m skilled at starting over and adapting to different lifestyles, cultures, work environments, and making new friends. I love swimming and Pilates. I believe in doing for the greater good and have recently joined the Big Brother Big Sister mentoring program as a Big to my Little 16-year-old sister. Last but certainly not least, I am a mother to two millennials who keep me grounded to what really matters in my life.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

I came to IG through what I call the “traditional” path. My affinity with contemporary history led me to start in the world of archives, after which I moved into records and information management. With my RIM background I was fortunate enough to land a corporate IG position which enabled me to expand into e-discovery and legal operations.  My journey has been a progression that reflects the maturity and expanding scope of the information management profession. Along the way I completed a Masters in Library and Information Science and became a certified records manger (CRM) and certified information privacy professional (CIPP/US).

Tell us about your current role in IG?

After having worked in government, non-profit and corporate, I decided that my next step was to share my craft and experience with a range of clients.  The best way to maximise this was to take the leap into the consulting world and in June 2019 I started at Deloitte in the Information Governance and eDiscovery practice. I love helping clients enhance their organizations’ RIM and IG programs, but the best part is going into a company with my team and leaving it in a better position, more efficient, with more functioning business processes than when we went in. In addition, I’m currently on the ARMA northeast region advisory committee and I facilitate a week on IG for online Records Management classes at several US universities.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

Writing this as we begin to emerge from COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, the new reality for IG’s future is unknown.  However, IG’s basic tenants of optimizing control, security and disposition of information while mitigating risk will need to continue to function as long as organizations exist.  Pressures to ensure best practices come in the form of external and internal drivers. External drivers include authorities such regulatory and legislative imperatives as well as sectorial and industry compliance and standards. In addition, a huge impetus for many companies is brand reputation, sustainability and loyalty.  No less important are internal drivers such as compliance with internal policies and procedures as well as company culture and mindset.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

One of the biggest developments I’ve seen in IG is the intellectual thought maturity around IG itself. The last six years have seen a burgeoning in IG models starting with the EDRM, and continuing on with the Compliance, Governance and Oversight Council IG Process Maturity Model, ARMA IG Implementation Model (IGIM), Association of Corporate Counsel Legal Operations Maturity Toolkit, Corporate Legal Operations Consortium and InfoGovANZ. These models are readily available, and each has a different slant that provides a lens through which to view, drive and implement IG frameworks.

Undoubtedly, digitization programmes have had a huge impact on IG as well as data migration initiatives. Finally, the who, what, where, why of records and information and the need for routine deletion is the core of a sound IG program. Most organizations realise that it is important to know data owners, descriptions of data sources, timeframe of the data, location and the purpose of collecting the data and when and how data is dispositioned. It’s our job as IG professionals to get organizations to act on what they know is the right and necessary road to take.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

IG practitioners come from varied backgrounds – the arts, health sciences, finance, law and IT. A basic function of IG is to build bridges between multi-disciplines such as RIM, privacy, security, RIM and IT (systems and architecture). Anyone starting out today should be competent in several areas and know enough to be able to navigate across disciplines. In addition to hard skills, IG personnel need to bring their soft people skills to the table. So many IG projects depend on integrating teams, negotiating resources and coordinating across boundaries. In addition, IG professionals have to make themselves available for new initiatives and put themselves “out there”. Continual education and self-reinvention are needed to keep moving forward.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

The future for IG is positive as long as practitioners consistently align with organizational goals, prioritise information needs and mitigate potential risks caused by inadequate controls. Areas in which IG can partner with business units to be innovative and forward thinking are squeezing the wisdom out of data or monetizing data analytics, using AI for classifying large data sets (think unstructured data on file shares and file sharing sites) and mediating in the tug of war between retaining big data and implementing data anonymization versus the desire to defensibly delete at all costs.

Why it is important to be a member of InfoGovANZ?

While I love it in the US and am grateful for the career opportunities and wonderful colleagues, as Peter Allen sings “I still call Australia home”. I was thrilled to first meet Susan Bennett two years ago at Legal Week NY and I immediately signed up to InfoGovANZ. We reconnected this past February 2020 again at Legal Week and took a deep dive into how we could work together and channel our energies to inform, educate and share knowledge. Since then, I’ve got used to attending webinars at 10pm ET so I can meet, connect with and present to information professionals across the globe.

Tell us about yourself?

I grew up in Lagos Nigeria but have lived in the North-East part of the United States for most of my life.  I currently reside in New Jersey, USA. I am a mom of four adult children.  Right now, I am working on a Doctoral program in Law and Policy.  I also hold an MBA and a Masters of Jurisprudence in Health Law.   When I am not working or studying, I enjoy woodworking and travelling.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

I ended up in IG by accident.  I spent most of my early career in Information Technology. In one of my earlier roles, I was tasked with replacing 27 different Records Management applications with a single integrated solution.  Anyone who has ever done application development or implementation knows that good business processes are a critical part of successful software implementation. At the time I made so much noise about the broken business processes at senior management meetings that the firm asked me to help solve them.  I agreed with the understanding that I would move back into IT, but as they say, the rest is history. Over the years, I have held various IG roles, including leading Records Management, Electronic Discovery and Data Privacy.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

My current role is what I would describe as an IG adjacent role.  Unless you want to take the broader view of the discipline of Information Practices and attach all disciplines that manage or govern information under a single umbrella.  I am Vice President of Data Management for Prudential Financial.  I help the organization develop its data strategy, oversee the enterprise data management program which includes development of capabilities such as data governance, data quality, master data management.  Most of what I do focusses on the Big Data platforms supporting Data Science and Data Analytics.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

In May of 2018, Forbes published an article stating that 2.5 Quintillion bytes of data was created every day.  We live in a world where data is ubiquitous and malleable.  First, companies have to find the right way to rapidly extract value from the data they collect and use.  Second, they must use data in compliance with a litany of ever evolving regulations that are becoming highly restrictive.  Third, as technology moves so does the complexity associated with data security.  Finally, the data subjects are more educated about their data rights and will continue to exercise their rights, this will in turn put great pressure on companies to have the appropriate IG practices.  For example, if a California or EU resident exercises their right to be forgotten, the company must have a mechanism in place to delete data. Similarly, if a data subject exercises their right of disclosure, GDPR allows companies 30 days to respond.  Without good IG practices, companies will have a difficult time complying with these requirements.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

Become multilingual – Learn to speak the language of IG, Technology, Law and Regulation and the industry you serve.  IG is about enabling the business, not about policing it.  A good IG professional helps their business colleagues succeed.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

We live in an exciting technological time.  Just about every device collects data making 3-D Technicolour observation of human behaviour possible.  It’s exciting because it creates what the World Economic Forum describes as “a new wave of opportunity for economic and societal value creation.”  Data Science and Analytics allow us to describe, diagnose, predict, prescribe.  Leveraging machine learning and other exciting tools like natural language processing, companies can develop intimate views of their customers and personalize their services and solutions for each customer.  IG professionals get to enable businesses as they take advantage of Data Science.  Helping data scientists determine what controls need to be in place as they leverage the data. Incorporating privacy by design into the model lifecycle.  Teaching young data scientist about information risk are some of the opportunities IG professional have.  But they won’t be able to take advantage of these opportunities if they don’t have deepened knowledge of regulation, data science platforms, security, privacy and other information practices.  So, I think the profession will require broader knowledge in many areas of information practices.

Why it is important to be a member of InfoGov ANZ 

Global companies must transverse a variety of regulations to be able to collect and use personal data in the provision of goods and services.  Unfortunately, there are significant variations in approaches to information practices in different countries and those of us that work in multinational companies have to understand these variations.  InfoGovANZ allows professionals from across the world to share knowledge and best practices, address issues and build a body of work for the IG community.  I feel quite privileged to be a part of a diverse global group focused on improving information practices in their various companies and for the broader IG community.

Tell us about yourself?

I have worked in Information Management for over 27 years.  I have a pragmatic approach to Information Governance and feel fortunate to have worked in a variety of industries.  Currently I am in the pharmaceutical industry and have also worked in finance, government, professional services, tertiary education, and building construction materials, all of which has given me valuable insights into these industries.  In addition to my Library and Information Science degree, I hold a master’s degree in management and a degree in Knowledge Management.    I also recently obtained the ARMA Information Governance Professional Certification.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

After completing my first degree in Library and Information Science, I travelled around the world for six months.  One week after arriving back home I received a note from my university about an Information Management related role.   In fact, it was a Records Management role at the NSW Council of the Australian Bicentennial Authority - what a place to start your career! I loved working there and I loved the work I was doing.  I don’t really know when, but at some point, I had decided that this work was for me. And so, I began to ease into my Records and Information Management career.  As I gained more knowledge about Records Management, I recall the mantra that good Records and Information Management has a role in supporting good corporate governance.  That still very much holds true.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

I am the Australia and New Zealand Records and Information Manager at Janssen – the pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson. One of my first key responsibilities when I started in the role was to lead a team in the investigation and implementation of a technical system.  As the J&J Asia-Pacific Regional RIM lead, my role extends to providing leadership and guidance to the Asia Pacific Records Managers.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

The technological landscape is increasingly varied and complex with content held in a multitude of systems for different purposes.  This has allowed markets to also move at a faster pace. All of which continues to create opportunities and risks.  As such regulators, globally, have been and are continuing to respond with legislation to protect the privacy and rights of citizens. Security is also a continuing area of concern requiring that systems, processes and education be in place to protect information from criminal activity.    Organisations will continue to harness up to date technologies in order to deliver quality and innovative products and services to support their communities and customers. How well they manage their information in this environment has an impact on their reputation and their business effectiveness. These pressures are by no means new.  In fact, as I write this, I recall having presented on these pressures over 7 years ago…  “The more things change the more they stay the same.”

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

The profession itself has changed and matured considerably. The traditional Records and Information Management domain is evolving towards IG programs.    I think this has emerged naturally by the rapid advancement of technology and the new models of work that has inevitably arrived with it. I am also seeing an increasing recognition to approach IG as multidisciplinary, integrated programs.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

My tip is not related to IG: Never stop learning. Take every opportunity to grow your knowledge.  Connect and collaborate with other professionals - whatever their domain. And when you have the opportunity, pass on your knowledge, don’t be afraid of a debate and help others to grow.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

It does not take a crystal ball to realise that within organisations and the environment they exist in there will be a continuing increase in legislation and regulations to ensure organisations are managing information to community expectations - protecting it and ensuring its proper use.  The traditional organisational structures and models for managing information will need to be rethought. Organisations will need to find ways of bringing together disparate multi-disciplinary teams to work together under a single IG framework, bringing their collective expertise together to support business activities and external regulatory requirements. I see this including new entrants such as social experts to ensure biases are not embedded in cutting edge technologies such as AI.

Why should people join InfoGovANZ ?

I have been hugely impressed by the quality of the InfoGovANZ - The meetings, their content, speakers and the InfoGovANZ newsletter.   It focuses on the broader governance of information, bringing together professionals and content from the various disciplines.  Participating is an opportunity to connect with industry thought leaders and shape the further evolution of this field.

Tell us about yourself?

Well, I am a member of the InfoGov ANZ Advisory Board, but I am also a NSW Branch Councillor, Fellow and Life Member of Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia (RIMPA) and a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and the Chartered Governance Institute.

I have over 30 years of experience in the various information disciplines both here in Australia and the United Kingdom and for almost the last the 25 years I have been responsible for implementing records and information management programs in State and Australian public sector agencies.  I have also been a Casual Lecturer in the Information and Knowledge Management Program at the University of Technology Sydney for the last 10 years.

I am also a bit of a perpetual student (or have been since 1998 when I started my Bachelor’s degree part-time).  I have been studying part-time on and off for the last 20 years or so.  I recently (and some might say finally) completed my PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences in August 2020.

Let’s just say I am now looking forward to catching up on reading a few good books for pleasure (currently reading the Strike series of novels) and binge-watching Game of Thrones from the very beginning (I’m just starting Season 8).

Tell us about your PhD research?

My PhD research looks at the information practices of four case study agencies in the Australian Government and particularly explores how the concept of record is understood and constructed by those outside the recordkeeping professions.

It will come as no surprise to many of you that different organisational and professional cultures, situated forms of knowledge and systems and technologies all play a mediating factor in how this term is applied and used in the practice of record-keeping across the Australian Government.

My thesis is rather aptly titled Records are practices, not artefacts.

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

I am not sure anything “led” me – I think things just evolved that way.  I began my working life in libraries and then moved into records management roles in the late 1990s.  These records roles were positioned as more legal and compliance-oriented and happened to be within the corporate governance areas of the public sector agencies in which I worked.  So, given my own interests and aptitude, my role and perspective over time morphed more into a blend of records and information management and broader corporate governance well before IG was even a “thing”.

I mean, from my perspective, it is easy to see how the two were linked and really supported and framed one another.  IG was simply a logical extension of my own experience and education as both a records and information professional and a governance professional, given that I have also had broad experience across a range of information functions such as privacy and freedom of information, in addition to records.  After all, it is not unusual for records / information managers, in the public sphere at least, to get “given” responsibility for anything even vaguely records/information-related – we’re a flexible lot in that regard.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

I have recently taken on a more generalist management role.  I guess you could say that I am now a strategically well placed and influential advocate for IG, rather than a full-time practitioner.  But since it is has been my career for the last 30 years I am still very much keeping my hand in – participating on the Advisory Board of InfoGovANZ and the Branch Council of RIMPA in NSW are two of the ways I do that.  I am now also starting to think about preparing parts of my PhD for publication and think that publishing articles and thought leadership might be more of the way I contribute to IG going forward rather than in the “doing”.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

I think the evolution of the field itself as a super-discipline is probably the biggest development.  The corresponding models and thought leadership around the field itself are still maturing and developing and it will be good to see whether a body of knowledge develops around IG itself and how the various disciplinary lenses are integrated into a cohesive whole – or even whether that is desirable or possible.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

I think the key skills for IG practitioners are some of the ‘soft’-skills over and above any technical skills of the discipline.  But since it’s a multi-disciplinary field and a relatively fledgeling one, the broader your knowledge of the information disciplines is the better. So take the opportunities to learn and expand your knowledge across the fields – don’t confine yourself to one silo. You definitely also need resilience and the ability to sell or influence key decision-makers on the value of IG.  Passion for your field goes a long-way to sustaining and assisting you in that regard.  Be passionate and purposeful.

Why it is important to be a member of InfoGov ANZ?

It’s important because it truly is a cross-disciplinary group that is open to, and considers, the various different professions’ perspectives across the broad spectrum of IG work.  In that sense being on the Advisory Board allows me to not only represent perspectives from my own background and experience but also to learn from the other members of the Advisory Board and International Council. I also think the International Council adds a great perspective to the global nature of the issues.  I know from doing my PhD that participating in a global network of scholars was particularly helpful and motivating, and I think that having access to the same via InfoGovANZ is a great thing and speaks volumes about the credibility and stature of such a new organisation and the regard in which it is held globally.

Tell us about yourself?

I have over 30 years experience as a lawyer. After Articles in Melbourne I went to Canberra as Associate to Sir Anthony Mason, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and then I was in private practice in Sydney and London. I went onto work with the Sydney Olympics as the lawyer for the host television broadcaster. I landed at IBM when they acquired the consulting business of PwC and I supported that business, was General Counsel for IBM Australia and New Zealand and then led teams around Asia Pacific for over 10 years and had 3 years based in Europe.
I enjoy travel, the visual arts and the Sydney Swans!

What led you into the world of Information Governance (IG)?

Looking back, I realise as a lawyer I have always been involved in the world of information governance! I have seen IG become an increasingly important part of corporate governance, both to know what information you have and how you are using it. My time in Europe taught me the importance of data privacy and IG. When I returned to Sydney I was fortunate to be on the team co-ordinating the roll out of GDPR to the business and clients across Asia Pacific.

Tell us about your current role in IG?

I am an advocate for IG and as a member of the InfoGovANZ International Advisory Council  I have the opportunity to keep up with global developments in IG, and to engage with my network and former IBM colleagues in Europe and across Asia Pacific who are working in data privacy and IG.

What pressures are organisations facing to ensure IG best practices?

There are ever increasing pressures on organisations to ensure they adopt best practices for IG. This is driven by the understanding of the value of data and the broader uses being made of information, in particular around IA.  Cybersecurity incident management also requires IG best practices. These have become critical to enable data to be harnessed in a responsible way. The range of legislative protections for data subjects, not only in Europe under GDPR but across so many Asia Pacific countries, requires IG best practices to be adopted to ensure compliance is achieved. This can create positive business opportunities for organisations which embrace best practices.

What are the biggest developments you have seen in the IG?

IG has moved from a sometimes back office function, which often struggled for budget and resources, to a consistent Board agenda item. There is an increasing acceptance of the importance and breadth of IG, seen in both the exponential increase in data creation and the rapid developments in the use of AI. The importance of having the multi-disciplinary approach to the design phase of AI and ensuring strong governance is an on-going development. The costly impact of cybersecurity events and data breaches has ensured that IG has a critical place in organisational operations and management.

Do you have any tips for someone starting out in IG?

My tips would be to develop your network and being involved in InfoGov ANZ is a great way to do this! Engage and embrace the wider debates around IG, this makes it a very rewarding area to be involved in. You will find yourself at the cutting edge of so many global debates. This includes tech areas, don’t avoid them if you think you are not a geek, all of us need to understand how the systems that are supporting IG are set up. There is so much to learn and no matter how long you have been engaged in IG there are always new developments.

With the rapidly evolving technologies and digital disruption, where do you see IG heading in the next few years?

IG will continue to mature as multi-discipline area. IG will be challenged to keep abreast of the rapid technological developments and regulators will be playing catch-up to address new technologies causing digital disruption. As machine learning is leveraged, IG will have a critical role to ensure there is a robust debate around ethical use of IA.

Why is it important to be a member of InfoGovANZ ?

InfoGovANZ fosters broad debate and engagement around a range of current issues. Susan Bennett and the team run a great program of events which will enhance any practitioner’s understanding of IG as well as giving a global perspective. It is a great organisation to develop a network with a broad range of experienced practitioners, who generously share their knowledge and time.