David Thodey AO

David Thodey is a business leader focused on innovation, technology, digital transformation and telecommunications, with more than 40 years of experience.

In addition to being Chair of Ramsay, David is currently Chair of Xero Limited (a global cloud-based accounting solution for small and medium businesses). He is also a member of the Finance Committee at the University of Sydney, Chair of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (an Australian non-profit organisation) and co-chair of the Climate Leaders Coalition.

David was previously CEO of Telstra (Australia’s leading telecommunications and information services company), Chair of CSIRO (Australia’s national scientific research agency) and, prior to that, he was CEO of IBM Australia and New Zealand.

David is active in public policy and has led an Independent Review of the Australian Public Service (APS) in 2019, chaired a Panel appointed by the NSW Government to lead an independent review of Federal Financial Relations between the Commonwealth and the States in 2020, and led a user audit of the myGov government services digital portal in 2023. From March to December 2020, David was also Deputy Chair of the Federal Government’s National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCC) Advisory Board.

David holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and English from Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand and attended the Kellogg School of Management postgraduate General Management Program at Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science and Technology from Deakin University in 2016, an Honorary Doctorate of Business from University of Technology Sydney in 2018 and an Honorary Doctor of Business from the University of Sydney in 2023.

David is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

In 2017, he was awarded an Order of Australia for his service to business and the promotion of ethical leadership and workplace diversity.

In the past three years, David has served as a Director of the following listed companies:

• Xero Limited (appointed June 2019)
• Vodafone Group Plc (resigned July 2020)
• Tyro Payments Limited (resigned March 2023)

Committee memberships:

• Nomination and Governance Committee (Chair)

Independence status:

• Independent