John joined the DPI Executive Team in March 2018 from DPI’s Orange Agricultural Institute where he was Institute Director, Research Leader Pests and Weeds as well as being the Research Director of the highly successful Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre. DPI has been an influential partner in this national Centre under John’s respected approach to scientific leadership, innovation and capacity building. John has a strong background in biosecurity and food safety with an Applied Science Degree, a Masters and a PhD from University of York and a career in biosecurity spanning over 28 years. With a depth of experience in research and more than 100 published papers, reports, and conference papers in invasive species and wildlife diseases, John has been recognised for his inclusive leadership and ability to impact team culture, scientific excellence and collaboration across industry, universities and the Government sector.