Dr Ian Oppermann is co-founder of ServiceGen, helping Governments accelerate digital service delivery. He is also an Industry Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). 

From 2015 to 2023, Dr Ian was the NSW Government’s Chief Data Scientist working within the Department of Customer Service where he held numerous roles including chairing the NSW government’s AI Review Committee and Smart Places Advisory Council. He was CEO of the NSW Data Analytics Centre (DAC) from 2015 to 2019.

With a solid track record of entrepreneurialism, business transformation, and business growth through partnerships, coupled with a hands-on, “can do” attitude, Dr Ian has almost 30 years experience in the ICT sector and has led organisations with more than 300 people, delivering products and outcomes that have impacted hundreds of millions of people globally.

Dr Ian has held senior management roles in Europe and Australia as Director for Radio Access Performance at Nokia, Global Head of Sales Partnering (network software) at Nokia Siemens Networks, and then Divisional Chief and Flagship Director at CSIRO. He has worked in the fast growth private sector running a start-up, and as CEO of financial market data company RoZetta Technology as well as a strong track record in innovation in the University sector leading a major research centre, the CWC, in Oulu Finland.   

Dr Ian is considered a thought leader in the area of the Data, AI and the Digital Economy. He is a regular speaker on data and digital, broadband-enabled services and the impact of technology on society. He has contributed to 6 books and co-authored more than 130 papers which have been cited more than 4500 times.

Dr Ian has an MBA from the University of London and a PhD in Mobile Telecommunications from Sydney University. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia, a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), a Fellow of the Royal Society NSW (FRSN), Fellow and Past President of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Dr Ian is National Committee President of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the JTC-1 Strategic Advisory Committee, a joint activity with the IEC and the ISO (International Standards Organisation).

Speaker Topics include:

• Digital Leadership
• Artificial Intelligence
• Data & Digital Innovation
• AI Assurance
• Data Governance
• Telecommunications Innovation
• 6G Mobile Communications