David Skellern is a successful ICT entrepreneur, with a background in scientific research, industrial R&D, and engineering education. He has been CEO of National ICT Australia (NICTA) since mid-2005.

Dr Skellern spent 10 years from 1974 designing, building and commissioning instrumentation and extensions for the Fleurs Synthesis Radiotelescope before joining the academic staff at Sydney University's Electrical Engineering Department. In 1989 he moved to Macquarie University as Professor and Head of Electronics. He has worked for several companies on sabbaticals, including over two years at HP Labs.

In 1997 he co-founded Radiata Inc to build wireless LAN chips based on research he led at Macquarie University, in collaboration with CSIRO. Radiata demonstrated the world?s first IEEE 802.11a chip-set in September 2000 and was acquired by Cisco Systems. Dr Skellern subsequently moved to California as Technology Director of Cisco?s Wireless Networking Business Unit.

Dr Skellern has BSc, BE and PhD degrees from Sydney University. He was awarded the 2007 CSIRO Tony Benson Award for Individual Achievement in ICT and is an IEEE Fellow, an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.