Board of Directors

Ms Sandra (Sam) Andersen

Chair

Sam Andersen joined the AVS board in 2016 and was appointed Chair of the Company on 1 July 2020.

Sam has held senior executive positions at the ANZ Bank, Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank. She has also been Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at several ASX-listed IT companies leading transformation initiatives, as well as Managing Director of a listed allied health services company. She currently serves as a director for a number of government, public unlisted corporations and member-owned organisations.

Sam is Chair of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation Limited, Beyond Bank Australia Limited and the Audit and Risk Management Committee of Victoria Police, a director of VicRoads (Registration & Licensing & Custom Plates Concessions) Group of Entities and Secure Electronic Registry Services Pty Ltd.

Dr Amanda Caples

Director

Amanda is Victoria's Lead Scientist, a role that aligns and connects Victoria’s science, technology and innovation capability with business needs and with government’s economic development activities.

Amanda is Chair of mRNA Victoria's Scientific Advisory Group and Chair of the Victorian Quantum Technology Network.

Amanda has led the development of industry and science and innovation policy in Victoria since joining the Victorian Public Service in 2002 as the inaugural Director of Biotechnology. During this time, she has delivered major policy reforms, a range of programs and global partnerships, and landmark initiatives including the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

Amanda is experienced in clinical trials, regulatory affairs, business development and licensing through prior roles with international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Richard Jagger

Director

Richard Jagger joined the AVS Board in 2021, is a member of the AVS Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Chair of the AVS subsidiary SmartSense Agtech that was incorporated in April 2024. He is a Director of Soils for Life, and the Victorian Cleantech Cluster.

Richard was until recently the CEO and Managing Director of Bio-Gene Technology, an ASX listed ag-tech company focused on developing a product platform based on a new class of naturally derived insecticides.

Richard has extensive experience in developing and commercialising new technologies in the Agriculture sector. Richard was previously the Managing Director of Sinochem Australia, a division of the largest Agrochemical company in China. Prior to Sinochem, he worked with Monsanto Company for over 20 years.

Richard has written two novels based on new technology adoption, holds degrees in Science and International Business and is a graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jane Perrier

Director

Jane Perrier joined the AVS Board in 2021 and is a member of the AVS Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Jane has broad experience advising and collaborating with boards, senior leaders, government agencies, regulatory and industry bodies on issues relating to innovation, technology, intellectual property, data and commercialisation.  She currently leads the consultancy practice of Davies Collison Cave (DCC), helping clients leverage value and mitigate risks associated with intangible assets at an enterprise level.  Jane is also a member of the Law Council of Australia’s IP Committee.

Jane is the former General Counsel, Intellectual Property, and Special Counsel Technology, Innovation & Intellectual Property for Telstra Limited.  In 2019 (after leaving Telstra) Jane co-founded a joint venture start-up with Davies Collison Cave’s (then ASX listed) parent, Qantm Intellectual Property Limited. The start-up was subsequently rolled into DCC.  Jane is a former appointee and consultant to the federal government’s former Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP).  She is also a former non-executive Director and Company Secretary of Crime Stoppers Victoria, and a former board member and advisor to the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police on the board of The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation

Dianne Angus

Director

Dianne joined the AVS Board in November 2023 and is a member of the AVS Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Dianne brings extensive executive and directorial experience in the  life sciences sector across public and private companies in biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, agritech and healthcare.

Dianne has held executive and director roles in a number of ASX and NASDAQ-listed companies and is  currently Chair of Argenica Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:AGN), Non-Executive director of Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) and Cyclopharm Ltd (ASX: CYC), serving on the Audit and Risk committee and Remuneration and Nominations committee of both companies. She also chairs the Remuneration and Nominations committee of Imagion Biosystems Ltd (ASX: IBX). Dianne is a council member of Deakin University and serves on its Finance and Business Affairs committee.

Dianne holds a Master of Biotechnology, Bachelor of Science (Hons), and a
Graduate Diploma of Intellectual Property (IP) Law. She is a registered patent attorney and a
member of Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Geoff Harry

Director

Geoff Harry joined the AVS Board in November 2023 and prior to that was an independent member of the Audit & Risk Committee since January 2018. As a Board member, Geoff continues his role as Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Geoff was a partner at PwC in Melbourne for 25 years, specialising in delivery of a broad range of risk and assurance services to a diverse group of clients in both the government and private sectors. He retired from that role in 2006. Since then he has held various senior executive positions including as Chief Risk & Assurance Officer at Fortescue Group and Jemena and as CFO at Goulburn Murray Water.

Geoff holds several Board and Audit & Risk Committee appointments, for most of which he is Chair. These roles include the Department of Government Services, Chisholm Institute, and several large local government authorities in Melbourne. Geoff has chaired the Audit & Risk Committees at the Department of Premier & Cabinet and at IBAC.

Geoff is a Chartered Accountant and Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.