Sue O'Connor

Sue is a recognised AI thought leader and experienced Chair and Director across the digital and critical infrastructure sectors. She advises boards and organisations on how to harness AI and emerging technologies to drive sustainable value while maintaining strong governance and regulatory compliance. She is the author of the whitepaper “Pragmatic and Ethical AI Governance for the Australian Financial Services Industry.”

Her board career spans data centres, financial services, environmental organisations, and critical infrastructure. She currently serves as President of Bush Heritage Australia and the Midlands Conservation Partnership, and has held roles including Director of CDC Data Centres and Mercer Superannuation, and Chair of Yarra Valley Water and Indara Digital Infrastructure. Earlier in her career, she spent over 30 years in executive leadership roles in the technology sector, including 13 years at Telstra.

Sue brings deep expertise in leading large, customer-focused organisations operating under high regulatory scrutiny. She is passionate about ensuring boards take a proactive role in guiding ethical and effective AI adoption. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, a Graduate Diploma in Business Management, and a University of Oxford Artificial Intelligence qualification, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Outside of her professional work, Sue is an avid photographer, using her work to spark conversations about the environment and our connection to it.