Leaving Telstra

Created on 2017-12-12 22:11

Published on 2017-12-12 22:13

It’s been 1430 days or thereabouts, since I started my adventure with Telstra .

First with the API strategy, then with the Innovation Ecosystem System engagement within the CTO ; not to mention my “side hustles” with muru-d , codeclub , telstra foundation , techfugees , CSIRO ON: , Austrade , countless hack events and I even featured as a guest on a podcast

I also got to meet some great people, work with some amazing folks, inspire some young folks , and I got to help bootstrap things that will lead to great change. I really feel like there was a greater purpose to what we were doing.

If I were to summarize the last 1430 days or so, it’s would be about community, collaboration & cultural change, underpinned with a strong desire of “giving back”, or as my dear friend Annie Parker keeps remind us all, we got to payitforward.

Now it’s time to start a new adventure. Yes, that’s right, time for a new avatar!

I’ll be joining the local AWS team in Melbourne. I’m heading back to the world of software, leading a team, made up of folks who love what they do, with a singular purpose, underpinned by a set of powerful leadership principles (if you haven’t seen Amazon Leadership Principles, check them out ).

Since I am still passionate about the Australian tech ecosystem. I want to see more of the likes of Envato, Red Bubble, Culture Amp, 99designs, Drawboard, spring up and go forward to take on the world. I also want to see more of the great research at our universities be unleashed onto the world and commercialised through programs such as CSIRO’s ON: , and university programs such as the delightfully named TRaM (Translating Research at Melbourne) . And fortunately for me, I will still be in a position to be involved.

Speaking of taking on the world, I’ve been fortunate to have worked with Austrade by participating with the Landing Pads program. I have been a member of the assessment panel this past year, and it’s been both an honour and a highlight to be part of the program. I even got to host a few info session about Berlin & San Fran .

Now, I always had an inkling I would be back with a Seattle based software company, and I’ll be joining many of my former colleagues who have made the move from MSFT on the east side, to AWS on the west side - it’s just taken me a bit longer. I’ll digress for a little story, 4 years ago right after leaving Microsoft, I did interview with AWS, but the Telstra offer came first. Fast forward 4 years, and when I got my recent AWS offer, the letter referenced my OLD address from 4 years ago. Yes, I know!

So, to recap - leaving Telstra. Starting at AWS.

Onwards to 2018!