Barry Sandison

DIRECTOR, INDEPENDENT

Barry Sandison recently commenced as a research fellow with the ANU School of Health and Medicine and also with the Paul Ramsay Foundation. He is also a member on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation and a local Canberra not-for-profit, as well as a strategic advisor to a number of commercial and not-for-profit organisations.

Prior to his departure from the Australian Public Service in June 2021, he was the CEO of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for five years. In his time there, Barry focused on sharpening the Institute’s strategic focus, growing the awareness of the Institute’s impressive capabilities and broadening the range of health and welfare data products managed by the Institute. Recognition of the Institute’s growing capabilities can be seen in its doubling in size over the five-year period.

With over 38 years of experience in the public sector across more than 13 agencies, Mr Sandison’s expertise covers a wide range of health- and welfare-related work, with previous roles in both policy and service delivery.

Prior to joining the Institute, Mr Sandison was a deputy secretary within the Australian Government Department of Human Services, where he undertook roles in both the Centrelink and Medicare elements of the department and oversaw its strategic information management function. Prior to this role, Mr Sandison held senior executive roles in various other Commonwealth departments involved in social policy.

Mr Sandison is known across the Australian Public Service and in state and territory agencies for his interest and leadership in data and information management. This interest and knowledge has been applied in both policy and service delivery roles and most recently very directly through his role in leading the work of the nationally recognised Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Appointed Director, Independent August 2021.