David Thodey is a business leader focused on innovation and technology, with more than 30 years’ experience creating brand and shareholder value. He is active in public policy, innovation and corporate governance.
 
David is Chair of Xero, a global cloud-based accounting solution for small and medium businesses and Ramsay Health Care, a global hospital group.  He is also co-chair of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Climate Leaders Coalition and a member of the Finance Committee at the University of Sydney.  
 
He was CEO of IBM Australia (1999-2001) and New Zealand and Telstra (2009-2015) and has wide experience as a board director including as a past director of Vodafone Group, CSIRO, CSL, and TelstraClear. 
 
David has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and English from Victoria University of Wellington and completed the post-graduate General Management Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
 
David received an honorary Doctorate in Science from Deakin University in 2016, an honorary Doctorate in Technology from University of Technology in 2018,  an honorary Doctorate in Business from University of Sydney in 2022 and was recognised for his services to business and ethical business leadership with an Order of Australia (AO) in 2017.