BAI Communications appoints new global board chair

BAI Communications has announced the appointment of Deena Shiff as its new board chair, effective 30 May.

Shiff succeeds Gerry Moriarty AM, who is retiring from the position after 14 years.

“We are fortunate to have Deena’s vision and leadership as we move in to a new stage of growth,” said Group CEO Jim Hassell.

Shiff joined the BAI Communications board as non-executive director in 2015. She also serves on the boards of Citadel Group Limited and Appen Ltd, as well as advising and serving on the boards of a number of private venture capital-backed technology companies and a medical research CRC.

In 2015, Shiff was appointed to chair the Australian Government’s Rural Telecommunications Independent Review Committee. She was a senior executive at Telstra between 1998 and 2013 and has served as Head of Regulatory Affairs, Group Managing Director running Telstra Wholesale, prior to retiring from the company in 2013.

“It is an honour to follow the outstanding chairmanship of Gerry and to be able to reap the benefits of the strong culture and values he has embedded in the company,” she said.

“At a time when technology change and consumer consumption of content requires new thinking about the efficient use of underlying infrastructure, BAI Communications has an exciting future in Australia. The board is also very focused on ensuring that our subway and confined space communications businesses in New York, Toronto and Hong Kong continue to lead the way for best practice wireless deployments for mass transit around the world.”

Hassell also paid tribute to the contribution of outgoing chair Moriarty to the evolution of BAI, from an Australian broadcast infrastructure business to a global communications company.

“During Gerry’s tenure as chairman, the company has benefited greatly from his deep understanding of the broadcast and wider telecommunications markets,” said Hassell.

“He has been instrumental in ensuring that Broadcast Australia has remained relevant to the needs of the local industry while expanding the global footprint of the company, now known as BAI Communications, as it diversified and expanded its presence into Hong Kong, North America and Europe.

“On behalf of BAI Communications I would like to extend my gratitude to Gerry for his enormous contribution as chairman.”

Image caption: Deena Shiff, courtesy of BAI Communications.