Dr Bronwyn Evans, CEO of Standards Australia, will chair the Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre.
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane announced Dr Evans' appointment, along with Mr Reg Nelson, who will chair the Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Growth Centre.
Dr Evans has been the CEO of Standards Australia since October 2013. She was previously Senior Vice President, Quality, Clinical and Regulation, with Cochlear Limited reporting to the CEO.
From 2009-2012, Dr Evans was Chair of the Medical Technology Association of Australia, the national association representing companies in the medical technology industry.
Chairs have now been appointed to all five of the Government’s Industry Growth Centres.
The Government announced $188.5 million for the creation of five Industry Growth Centres last year as a centrepiece of its Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.
They have been tasked with addressing barriers to growth in the identified areas by: overseeing the development and implementation of a ‘roadmap’ to lift sector competitiveness; providing advice to Government on how to reduce regulatory burdens; and, developing an annual list of industry knowledge priorities to help inform the research sector of industry needs and commercialisation opportunities.
According to a statement from Mr Macfarlane, Australian industry is undergoing a significant transition to a new era, moving from traditional manufacturing to higher value-added and export-focussed production.
"The Government has a suite of policies to assist with the transition, and to grasp the new opportunities for Australia to get ahead of the pack and press our competitive edge in an evolving international economy," he said.