About

Responsible for open innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship. Dr Pearson is an internationally experienced Open Innovation practitioner, innovation ecosystem builder, and advocate for collaborative innovation and entrepreneurship in Australia. Dr Pearson drives innovation strategy and practice in both corporate and government arenas, and she is passionate about helping Australia benefit from this effective and efficient approach in both industrial and social innovation applications.

Dr Pearson has had an eclectic career, specialising in innovation and entrepreneurship, scientific research, strategy, and managing change. Previous roles include Founding CEO of the CBR Innovation Network, management consulting with McKinsey & Co in Sydney, tenured Physics academic at UNE, and global head of Open Innovation at Cadbury plc in Reading UK. Dr Pearson’s strategic, research, and innovation skills are also currently applied through a number of Board positions.

Dr Pearson’s most recent past position was Pro Vice Chancellor, Industry Engagement and Innovation, University of Newcastle. Previously she was the founding CEO of CBR Innovation Network, an entity set up to transform the ACT economy through innovation & entrepreneurship – connecting, promoting and accelerating an innovation ecosystem in Canberra.

Dr Pearson holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford in particle physics, and has published research in the areas of particle physics, medical physics, artificial intelligence, innovation, science communication and science policy. Dr Pearson is an author on eight international patents for cancer diagnosis and novel confectionary.