Bio
Zoe Piper has over 20 years’ experience across management consulting, technology, manufacturing and investment. Operating at the intersection of policy, practice and research, she is actively engaged in a broad range of roles and appointments.
As the Partnerships Lead for Data61, Zoe is responsible for driving collaboration across industry, research and government. Here she leads the development of Expert Connect, an open innovation platform facilitating access to research expertise. Zoe also serves as a Director of the Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN) and a mentor for CSIRO’s ON Prime pre-accelerator program.
Zoe was recently seconded to the Office of Innovation and Science Australia where she was a member of the taskforce developing the 2030 Strategic Plan to help guide investment in Australia’s innovation, science and research systems. She also has extensive prior experience with government programs, including serving as ACCI’s Productivity Unit Manager (delivering under the Productivity Education and Training Fund) and providing input into multiple projects under the “Securing Australia’s Future” program.
Combining her interests in technology and sustainable business, in 2017 Zoe founded Ethitrade International. Through this she has developed a farm-to-plate blockchain based food provenance platform that is being piloted in South-East Asia.
In 2009 Zoe cofounded Ecolour, an Australian based manufacturer of premium quality, non-toxic paint that is distributed across the country. Zoe continues to serve as Director, with Ecolour now used by hotel chains, hospitals and leading developers. In 2015, Zoe was invited to tell the Ecolour story at the 2015 Shared Value Leadership Summit in New York where she outlined how the company is cleaning up the air we breathe inside and out. Zoe was a finalist in the 2015 NAB Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards (Emerging Entrepreneur category), and an ACT finalist in the 2017 IML Australian Leadership Excellence Awards (Owner/Entrepreneur category).
Zoe has a strong interest in cross-sector collaboration, new business models (including social entrepreneurship and creating shared value) and building career adaptability. She regularly speaks on these topics and has served on a range of committees and judging panels, including the CRC Association Excellence in Innovation Awards, Australian Export Awards, Enactus National Competition, and Centre for Workplace Leadership Survey of Australian Leadership (SAL) Steering Committee.
Zoe is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders (formerly chairing the AIM ACT Regional Advisory Committee) and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has studied in the USA, Europe, and China, and her qualifications include an MBA, Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Communication. Zoe is currently undertaking a PhD (Public Policy: cross-sector leaders) at the Australian National University.
Find out more about Zoe Piper
Professional Engagements
Zoe Piper has over 18 years experience across management consulting, technology, manufacturing and investment. Operating at the intersection of policy, practice and research, Zoe has delivered services (as an employee, consultant or director) to a range of organisations, including:
Committee & Judging Experience
An active contributor across the sectors (industry, research & government), Zoe regularly serves on committees and judging panels, including:
- 2016 – 2018 – Served as a judge for the CRC Association Excellence in Innovation Awards
- 2017 – Served on the Innovation and Science Australia (ISA) taskforce to develop Australia 2030: Prosperity through Innovation (the 2030 Plan)
- 2013 – 2017 – Served as a judge for the Enactus Social Entrepreneurship National Conference
- 2016 – Provided input into Future Earth Australia plan
- 2016 – Served as a judge for the Australian Institute of Management Leadership Excellence Awards
- 2014 – 2016 – Member of the organising committee for the ‘Future of Work: People, Place, Technology’ conference run by the Centre for Workplace Leadership
- 2014 – 2015 Provided input into the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) Expert Working Groups for the ‘Role of Science Research & Technology in Lifting Australia’s Productivity (SAF4)’, ‘New technologies and their role in our security, cultural, democratic, social and economic systems (SAF5)’ and ‘Translating research for economic and social benefit (SAF9)’ projects (part of the multi-year, multi-disciplinary research program ‘Securing Australia’s Future’)
- 2014 – 2015 – Served as a judge for the Australian Export Awards
- 2015 – Member of the Ribit (Data61) Advisory Group
- 2015 – Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) 30% Club Government Working Group
- 2015 – Member of the Centre for Workplace Leadership Survey of Australian Leadership (SAL) Steering Committee
- 2014 – Provided input into work undertaken by the Grattan Institute (in partnership with Google) looking at innovation and productivity (‘The Silver Lining: cloud computing and small and medium enterprises‘)
- 2013 – Served as a member of the Innovation and Business Skills Australia National Project Reference Group for the 2013/14 review and update of the Leadership and Management training packages
Qualifications
- PhD (Public Policy), Australian National University (in progress)
- MBA, Charles Sturt University
- Master of Management, Australian National University
- Bachelor of Economics University of Canberra/Pepperdine University
- Bachelor of Communications, University of Canberra/Pepperdine University
- Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning), Kaplan Professional
- Diploma of Security and Risk Management, Canberra Institute of Technology
- Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate), Kaplan Professional
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Canberra Institute of Technology
Honors & Awards
- 2018 – Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) ACT iAwards Merit Awards in two categories for D61 Expert Connect: “Infrastructure & Platforms Innovation of the Year” and “Public Sector & Government”.
- 2017 – ACT finalist in the 2017 IML Australian Leadership Excellence Awards (Owner/Entrepreneur category)
- 2015 – invited to tell the Ecolour story at the 2015 Shared Value Leadership Summit in New York, outlining how the company is cleaning up the air we breathe inside and out
- 2015 – finalist in the 2015 NAB Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards (Emerging Entrepreneur category)
- 2013 – represented Australia at the Asian Association of Management Organisations’ (AAMO) “Young Manager Forum” in Macau and China. The program sought to explore the role of ‘Gen Y’ management and leadership development in the Asia-Pacific region.
Memberships
- Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders & former chair of the AIM ACT Regional Advisory Committee (FIML)
- Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
Personal
Zoe is an avid traveller who seeks out diverse experiences in each country or continent she visits as a way to enrich her mind and meet new people. Her travels have seen her go on safari in Africa, explore Machu Picchu, dance tango in Argentina and zouk in Brazil, study in Switzerland and the USA, work with Richard Branson’s Entrepreneurship University in South Africa, tutor in a juvenile detention centre in California, tour factories in China, parasail in Hawaii, scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef and paraglide in Peru.
Working with Zoe
Zoe is always open to discussing potential projects and business ventures that could benefit from her expertise, whether that be as an advisor, investor, or facilitator of connections. Please get in contact to arrange an initial chat.
