An advisory group headed by former Telstra boss David Thodey has started planning for what’s being touted as Sydney’s Silicon Valley.

Mr Thodey, who headed the recent independent review of the APS, has been appointed to chair a group of industry, technology, education and city planning experts who will advise the NSW government on the new Tech Central development.

The site, at Sydney’s Central Station is being developed into what the government says will be a global innovation and technology hub, with the state unlocking 24 hectares of land and providing $48.2 million over the next four years.

The Tech Central Industry Advisory Group, which also includes City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone, Atlassian Chief of Staff Amy Glancey and UTS Vice Chancellor and President Attila Brungs, held its first meeting last week.

I foresee this will create a new place for startups, scaleups, high-tech giants, universities and researchers, to collaborate, solve problems and innovate.

David Thodey

“I foresee this will create a new place for startups, scaleups, high-tech giants, universities and researchers, to collaborate, solve problems and innovate,” Mr Thodey said in a statement after the meeting on Thursday night.

Tech giant Atlassian will provide a centrepiece for the development with its new Australian headquarters to be built opposite the $2.5 billion Central Place development announced this month by Dexus-Frasers.

The development is currently in Stage 3 of the NSW Government’s Unsolicited Proposals process.

Minister for and investment and jobs Stuart Ayres said the advisory group would connect entrepreneurs, researchers, students, corporations and the wider community to help bring Tech Central into being.

“Technology and innovation will play a key role in restarting growth after the global pandemic and we’re putting Sydney right at the centre of that,” Mr Ayres said.

“Tech Central will provide a focal point for our fantastic tech innovators, attracting investment and talent from all over the world and establishing NSW as a global leader in this space.”

The Tech Central Industry Advisory Committee:

• David Thodey (Chair)
• Amy Glancey, Chief of Staff, Atlassian
• Monica Barone, CEO, City of Sydney
• Attila Brungs, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Technology Sydney
• Daniel Petre AO, Founder/Partner, AirTree Ventures
• Alex Scandurra, CEO, Stone & Chalk
• Sally-Ann Williams, CEO, Cicada Innovations
• Ms Mina Radhakrishnan, Co-Founder, Different