Jordan Green Elected Pearcey Foundation Chair
Wayne Fitzsimmons steps down after 27 years; Helen McHugh appointed to the Pearcey Foundation board
Melbourne, Australia – 7 April 2026 – The Pearcey Foundation announced Jordan
Green AM as its new chair, succeeding Wayne Fitzsimmons OAM, who led the Foundation from 1999. Helen McHugh, the immediate past president of
the ACS (Australian Computer Society), has been appointed as a director.
Jordan Green is a key figure in the Australian startup community, with wide experience as a founder, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, angel investor, and business advisor. In his career to date, Green has founded or co-founded more than 20 ventures across three continents, and has been an active committee member and organiser with the Pearcey Foundation since 2009. He is one of the founders and a former chair of a University of Melbourne Industry Advisory Group, and founder and president emeritus of Melbourne Angels, a group of more than 90 members who actively invest in early stage businesses and small companies poised for growth.
“We have a remarkable year ahead of us in recognising, celebrating, and promoting the outstanding individuals who are making, or have made, significant contributions to the benefit of our ICT community and industry. I’m excited by enhancements we are planning for our awards program and the development of the Pearcey Museum - a virtual national computer museum – watch this space!” said Green.
For Wayne Fitzsimmons, it all started with an ad placed in The Age by founding chair Ian Dennis in 1999. The former Datacraft Technologies managing director and OpenDirectory founder joined with Dennis to lead the Pearcey Foundation, which under Fitzsimmons’ leadership has developed into a highly respected, independent voice for ICT in Australia.
While Fitzsimmons is stepping back from his role as chair, he will remain an active member of the Pearcey Foundation board, and will continue to lead the Foundation’s Australia 4.0 initiative, which is exploring the profound changes required of the Australian electricity system as the nation embraces renewable energy sources.
“Thanks to Wayne’s leadership and drive over many years, the Pearcey Awards have become the most prestigious state and national personal awards program in ICT in the country, the Pearcey Oration the most significant annual technology address in Australia, and our heritage program a robust and uniquely valuable collaboration that brings to light and celebrates the remarkable achievements of Australians in ICT,” said Green.
“The success of the Foundation is largely due to the work of so many friends and volunteers who have shared the Pearcey mantra of promoting ICT to Australia and Australians. I’ve always said that we don’t just punch above our weight in ICT, we genuinely and regularly have had the opportunity to be the global leader in our chosen domain – we just need to back ourselves. A case in point is our leadership position today in quantum computing,” said Fitzsimmons.
Helen McHugh joins the Pearcey Foundation board after completing her two-year term as ACS president in 2024 and 2025.
“Helen’s considerable ICT leadership skills and her passion for our industry and the people who work in it make her a welcome addition to our board. Helen also brings a personal connection with the Pearcey Foundation. One of her earliest childhood memories is visiting the CSIRAC laboratory at Sydney University to see her father, who worked as a programmer alongside Trevor Pearcey,” said Green.
2026 Pearcey Foundation board and officers
- Chair: Jordan Green (Director)
- Immediate Past Chair: Wayne Fitzsimmons (Director)
- Treasurer: Simon Foster (Director & Public Officer)
- Entrepreneur Awards Chair: Rick Harvey (Director)
- Lifetime Awards Chair: Professor Maurice Pagnucco (Director)
- Board Member: Helen McHugh (Director)
- Heritage Committee Chair: Dr Peter Thorne (Officer)
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About the Pearcey Foundation
The Pearcey Foundation Inc. is a non-profit organisation established in 1998 to raise the
profile of the Australian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry and profession. It was created in the memory of one of
the greatest pioneers of the Australian ICT industry, Dr Trevor Pearcey. By celebrating the heroes in our industry, past, present and
future, the Foundation is looking to attract and encourage young Australians into this most exciting of global high technology sectors of
our nation.
