2011 Qld Award
The 2011 Pearcey Queensland Entrepreneur Award was presented to Janine Garrett and Bevan Slattery by the Queensland Minister for ICT, The Honourable Simon Finn MP, and Ms Natalie MacDonald, Director General, Queensland Department of Public Works, at a gala dinner on 5th July held this evening at the Hilton Brisbane as part of the 2011 iAwards program.
Chosen from a strong field of seven candidates, this annual award, presented each year since 2003, recognises and celebrates the achievements of Queensland’s ICT and Digital Media professionals. The judging panel was unable to separate the candidates as they both exemplified the very qualities the judges were seeking - they ‘ran a risk and made a difference’ to the ICT sector in Queensland and Australia.
Chairman of the Queensland Pearcey Committee, David Merson, commented: “These two winners are exemplars for our ICT sector here in Queensland. This is the ninth year of our awards and the quality and capability of all candidates continues to rise. This year, combining with the AIIA and ACS Queensland and participating in the iAwards program, marks a new era of collaboration amongst our peak ICT bodies”.
Janine Garrett
Janine Garrett switched careers from being a Pharmacist (graduating from UQ in the mid eighties) to Software Developer in 2000. She created a business, Charm Health, dedicated to providing health solutions for complex disease management. Developing her business over the last ten years, Janine said that she was fortunate to have been invited to participate in the Queensland Government’s i.lab Incubator Program which assisted her develop her managerial skills as well as the business.
Bevan Slattery
Bevan Slattery is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of NEXTDC, aimed to become Australia’s leading independent Data Centre operator. Having formed NEXTDC in May 2010, the company has since listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) being the first pure Data Centre operator to list on the ASX. Since founding NEXTDC has secured over $100m in equity and is rapidly deploying next generation Data Centres in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. He comes from a background in building successful Australian IT and telecommunication companies and an earlier career in administration in local and state government.
Prior to establishing NEXTDC, Mr Slattery was co-founder and director of PIPE Networks Limited and iSeek Communications. PIPE Networks Limited is one of Australia’s leading telecommunications infrastructure providers. PIPE Networks was founded in 2002 and listed on ASX in May 2005 raising $3.5 million at 40 cents per share, and was acquired by TPG Telecom Limited in March 2010 for $6.30 per share, valuing the equity at $373 million, making PIPE Networks Limited the second best non-resources IPO of the decade.
In August 2009, Mr Slattery was awarded the ACOMM Australian Telecommunications Ambassador of the Year Award. In March 2010, Mr Slattery was also awarded the ATUG’s Charles Todd Medal for his contribution to the Australian Telecommunications marketplace including the construction of the $200 million PPC-1 submarine cable system connecting Sydney to Guam.
Mr Slattery holds a Masters in Business Administration (Honorary) from Central Queensland University.
