Victoria chief tech advocate named CenITex chair

The Victorian government has appointed Grantly Mailes as chair and sole director of the CenITex board as the agency transitions from an internal ICT provider to a broker of services.

Mailes is the chief technology advocate for the Victorian government, tasked with the job of implementing the Victoria government’s ICT plan. Mailes will keep his existing duties in addition to the new role as CenITex chairman, the Victorian government said.

Victorian technology minister Gordon Rich-Phillips said he is “confident that Mr Mailes will be an asset to the CenITex Board during a period of significant change to the enterprise.”

The appointment follows the closing of a call for expressions of interest in which the Victorian government requested ICT services from the private sector to replace CenITex. The state’s Coalition government had sought storage, processing, network management, service desk and desktop and end user services.

A CenITex presentation that surfaced online in May explained that the agency’s current operating model was under pressure from supply side forces such as new capabilities around cloud, and demand side forces such as utility ICT models that challenge the agency’s cost structures. Budgetary constraints and pricing and cost transparency problems had also caused problems.

Last year, CenITex was the subject of the Victorian Ombudsman’s report after the ombudsman heard allegations of improper conduct. Following the investigation, CenITex closed its Efficient Technology Services (ETS) division and cut 200 staff.

Mailes offered an update on the Victorian government’s ICT plan in an interview earlier this month with CIO Australia.

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