The chief of Australia’s Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) will be The University of Queensland’s new Executive Director (Operations).
Major General Maurie McNarn, AO, Director DIO and Head of Joint Operational Intelligence, will take up the position on March 16.
The UQ position of Executive Director (Operations) is new and was created to cover some of the duties of retired Secretary and Registrar Dr Douglas Porter.
In his current role, since January 2005, General McNarn completed implementation of the recommendations of the Flood Inquiry into Australia’s intelligence services, which included findings on intelligence agencies’ accountability, co-ordination, division of labour and communications.
Before heading DIO he was Commander of Training Command, Australia’s largest registered training organisation. As National Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations from July 2002 to June 2003, he led 2300 personnel in air, maritime and land forces across Iraq, the Gulf and Afghanistan.
General McNarn also has extensive experience in strategic level corporate planning, leadership appointments, communications, IT, HR, media and financial management. He has lived and worked extensively in Asia and the Middle East. His academic qualifications include a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Defence (Strategic) Studies, a Graduate Diploma of Telecommunications Systems Management and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said he was delighted General McNarn had accepted the appointment.
“I look forward to welcoming Maurie to the executive team, where he will co-ordinate the management of UQ’s financial, physical, human, management information and information technology services,” Professor Greenfield said.
“He will also assist me in regard to strategic planning and direction, and the framework of UQ’s highly-successful research commercialisation and technology transfer activities.
“He comes to UQ from an extremely impressive military career of more than 34 years’ duration, commanding both in the field and in a range of senior headquarters appointments.
“Success at his level has demanded – among other things - deft skills in relationship building, political acumen, and the ability to reach out to communities in highly-charged environments.
“While the scale and setting of his new workplace will be very different, his skills would be a great asset to any leading university striving for continued success in today’s uncertain regulatory and market conditions."
Media: Fiona Kennedy (07 3365 1384 or 0413 380 012).
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