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Executive management
Led by the Chief Executive, the executive management team is responsible for the operational management of the organisation.
Shaun Coffey
Drew Stein
Barry Marlow
Jeff Lycett
George McIrvine
Andrew Gavriel
Vikki Smithem
Tim Armstrong
Shaun Coffey
Shaun Coffey
Chief Executive Officer – MAgrSc, G Dip Chg Mgmt, G Dip CD, FTSE, CRSNZ, CompIPENZ, FAIM, FAICD
Shaun Coffey has had an extensive involvement in leading research and development enterprises in Australia and New Zealand. An agricultural scientist by training, his recent interests have included the application of complex systems science and the redesign of animal agriculture systems. Shaun joined IRL from CSIRO Australia in 2006 and has focused on returning the company to its core purpose and restoring financial stability. Among his honours and awards, Shaun is a recipient of the Silver Medal of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (2001) and a Centenary Medal of Agriculture from the University of Melbourne (2006). He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2004 and a Companion of the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand in 2008. He is also a Fellow of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Management. In 2009, he was elected a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Shaun is on the editorial boards of the Open Proteomics Journal and of E: CO (Emergence: Complexity & Organization) and has been Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland since 1999.
Drew Stein
Drew Stein
Deputy CEO, General Manager Industry Engagement
Drew Stein is responsible for developing a range of high-level client-focused strategies which complement the new role of IRL following the implementation of the recommendations of the recent CRI[?] review. Drew has spent most of his working life in chief executive, director or chairmanship positions with major international corporations, including as managing director or chairman of Mobil Oil’s international subsidiaries; director of Deloitte’s international utilities group; and as chairman of an Australian computer company based in Brisbane. In New Zealand Drew has held the roles of CEO of ECNZ subsidiary Electricorp Marketing, Chairman of Southland Electric Supply Company, and Managing Director of Transend, NZ Post’s international arm, and has founded a cattle consultancy business. Drew is regularly sought after as a keynote speaker, has written books on best management practice focusing on governance issues and regulatory reform processes and has been strategic advisor to a number of governments and boards of directors of major global corporations.
Barry Marlow
Barry Marlow
General Manager Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Director Research Office – BE (Hons), PhD, MIEEE, MSPIE
Barry Marlow manages the science and engineering activities in the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies cluster at IRL. He also oversees science strategy through his role as Director of the Research Office. Barry started his career with the Physics and Engineering Laboratory (PEL) of DSIR in 1968 as a professional trainee while completing his BE (Hons) at Canterbury University. From 1972, he worked as an electronics engineer on weighing and grading technology for the meat industry and, later, on computer control and instrumentation in the dairy industry. He took up a DSIR Study Award in 1978 to complete his PhD in industrial applications of image processing at the University of Southampton. On his return in 1981, he initiated machine vision research at PEL, moving into microelectronic design in 1982 – research he was involved in for the next two decades. He was awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand Science and Technology medal in 2001 in recognition of his significant contribution to the development of microelectronics in New Zealand. During his career he has led and managed major research programmes on sensor and measurement technologies for processing, microsystems development, intelligent systems and devices for manufacturing, and smart devices, processes and products for the wood industry. He has been part of the executive management team since 2008.
Jeff Lycett
Jeff Lycett
Executive Officer – BA (Hons)
Jeff Lycett’s position as a member of the IRL executive comprises two elements. As Executive Officer, he is required to provide professional support, sound and well-reasoned advice, and practical assistance to the CEO in the planning, execution and achievement of IRL’s strategic and operational objectives, in the management of the business of the office of the CEO, and in the management of change programmes. As Board Secretary, he provides professional services to the Board, Board committees and nominated subsidiary and associate companies. Jeff’s background is mainly in the Human Resources area. He was previously General Manager with the New Zealand Dairy Board (now Fonterra) and with the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ). Most recently he has carried out consultancy assignments with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand Post and EDS.
George McIrvine
George McIrvine
General Manager Corporate Services – ED, BBS, CA
As General Manager Corporate Services, George McIrvine has responsibilities for three main areas. Those are facilities both current and future including health and safety, professional services such as legal, intellectual property and human resources, and commercialisation process management and business growth. George has considerable commercialisation experience in the science sector including being part of the teams that commercialised Zespri Gold and concluded the sale of the HortResearch share of the Time Capsule business. He also has been involved in the establishment with the Massey Ventures Group of Companies around businesses such as Polybatics Ltd, Anzode Inc, Estendart Ltd. A key feature of these ventures has been securing the intellectual property assets at an early stage so that significant science and engineering technologies can build the potential to develop new industries for New Zealand businesses.
Andrew Gavriel
Andrew Gavriel
Chief Financial Officer - CA, NZCC, NDBS
As Chief Financial Officer Andrew’s responsibilities include the Financial Management function and also Information Technology and Information Services. He has held senior management roles in both private and public sector organisations including Foodstuffs Co-op (Wtgn), New Zealand Dairy Board, Hyperion, Fonterra, and the Department of Conservation. He has also owned and managed his own successful consultancy business specialising in performance management strategic frameworks, activity-based management and information technology solutions to enable organisations to operationalise and manage strategy. Key clients included Australia Post, Livestock Improvement Corporation and Housing New Zealand. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors and holds a certificate in Company Direction.
Vikki Smithem
Vikki Smithem
General Manager Industrial Biotechnologies - MSc (Japan)
As GM Industrial Biotechnologies, Vikki Smithem is responsible for managing the activities of IRL’s three chemistry teams: Integrated Bioactive Technologies, Carbohydrate Chemistry and GlycoSyn. With over 12 years in the biotechnology and food industries in business development and marketing roles, Vikki has considerable experience securing new business from overseas and within New Zealand, and with out-licensing and research and development collaborations. She has previously worked as a Commercialisation & Business Development Manager at IRL and for several dairy companies. Other achievements include establishing the Australia New Zealand Biotechnology Partnership fund, managed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and overseas trade postings.
Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Director Measurement Standards Laboratory - BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, MNZIP
Tim Armstrong worked as a Post-Doc at several universities in the Netherlands, UK and South Africa before joining MSL[?] over 20 years ago. He worked initially in Length Standards and then moved into Time and Frequency standards, his specialty for the past 19 years. As well as being the Director of MSL, he also holds the statutory title of Chief Metrologist of the Measurement Standards Laboratory and in this role is New Zealand’s "verifying authority" in respect of units of measurement. In his time at MSL, Tim has been involved in a number of research projects including the stabilisation of lasers, the development of new means of GPS time transfer and in a successful MSL project to measure the Newtonian gravitational constant (G). This measurement produced three measurements of G, one of which is currently the internationally recommended value. He has also been involved in assisting the NZ Police in improving the accuracy of speed measurement both with measurement advice and appearing in court as an expert witness.