ICT industry innovator and entrepreneur Roger Allen was this year’s winner of the prestigious CSIRO Tony Benson Award for Individual Achievement in ICT at the 2009 iAwards gala dinner, held in Melbourne’s Palladium Ballroom at the Crown Casino.
The iAwards are presented each year by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) to recognise innovation and achievement at the top level across the information industry. The CSIRO Tony Benson Award for Individual Achievement in ICT recognises the outstanding accomplishments of an individual in the Australian ICT industry.
“Roger Allen is one of the ICT industry’s most dedicated champions,” said AIIA Chief Executive Officer, Ian Birks. “He has a long history of active innovation and entrepreneurial support for emerging companies.”
“His background in Venture Capitalism and philanthropy will make him a fantastic ambassador for the ICT industry over the coming year.”
Roger Allen has had three careers: as an IT entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist and philanthropist. His career began from a small Melbourne suburb where he built the Computer Power Group into a substantial global IT business employing over 3000 people with revenues in today’s dollars of over $1 billion.
Subsequently he co-founded Allen & Buckeridge Pty Ltd, a Venture Capital company which has provided over $250m of much needed capital to over 50 early stage companies, of which 20 derived directly from University research and development. In addition Roger has personally invested in some 20 IT companies.
Roger has served on two Prime Ministers’ Science and Technology Councils and has chaired both Victorian and NSW Government ICT Advisory Boards. He was deputy Chairman of Austrade for seven years and Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Swinburne University and lectures regularly at INSEAD for the School of Entrepreneurship.
Roger played a critical role in helping to create today’s AIIA through the merger of three industry bodies and was the first Chairman of AIIA from an Australian-founded IT company.
Roger has been frequently recognised by the Australian and global Industry; recently he was awarded the 2007 Pearcey Medal for Lifetime Achievement in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the ICT industry.
In both an advisory and active capacity he serves as a Director for numerous companies including not-for-profit organisations. Most recently he helped create and serves on the board of the John Button Foundation.
His main focus in philanthropy is applying Venture Capital principles to not-for-profit enterprises with the objective of helping social entrepreneurs create sustainable businesses with a social dividend. He is also one of the financial backers of GetUp! using ICT to empower grass roots political participation.
Recently he has established and funded Indigenous Capital Limited to provide early stage Venture Capital and expertise to indigenous business.
Nominees for the award were assessed against a stringent set of criteria by a panel of VIP judges from the ICT industry, government, research and educational institutions, and the ICT media in Australia.
Dr Alex Zelinsky, Director of the CSIRO ICT Centre, which supports the annual award, says that Mr Allen is a fitting recipient of the Award.
“This award recognises the contribution that can be made by one person. It is particularly fitting that this award is dedicated to Tony Benson, a man who had such a great impact on the success of the ICT industry in Australia,” Dr Zelinsky says.
The CSIRO Tony Benson Award commemorates the work and dedication of long-term champion of the Australian ICT industry, Tony Benson, who died in February 2005. An industry stalwart for more than 40 years, Tony set an outstanding example of selfless contribution to Australian ICT industry development.
Mr Allen joins esteemed company. Previous recipients of the award include Kaz founder Peter Kazacos co-founder of the Radiata group and NICTA CEO David Skellern, MYOB's CEO, Craig Winkler and Mincom Founder, David Merson.
More information about the iAwards, including a list of winners across all categories, can be found at www.aiia.com.au