In an Era of New Broadband Frontiers, How Are Research Networks Contributing?
AARNet is Australia’s national Research and Education network (NREN) connecting the country’s Universities to a high capacity highly resilient internet backbone across locations both nationally and internationally to collaborators around the world. AARNet links with 120 other NREN’s globally that operate in most developed nations to enable science, innovation, research and education to flourish at performance levels well in advance of the growing trend of National Broadband Network plans that are being built to serve the mainstream populations of their respective countries. However, what is fundamental to a nation’s innovation platform are the applications and services that are generated from research networks like AARNet that enhance the three key areas of growth for the future of research and education institutions being COLLABORATION, CONTENT and MOBILITY. NREN’s like AARNet are utilising the unfettered access of their network capabilities along with their research collaborations to drive and develop the future services that will be available for mainstream use within a 5 to 7 year time horizon. In summary, the services of tomorrow for homes and business’ are only possible with the ingenuity and technology planning of the Research Networks of today.
 |
Chris Hancock's Biography
Chris Hancock was appointed Chief Executive Officer of AARNet Pty Ltd in 2004. Mr Hancock has had more than 25 years’ experience in senior leadership and executive positions with the last 15 years in the media and telecommunications sectors.
As the CEO of AARNet, Australia’s Research and Education Network, Mr Hancock was responsible for the implementation of AARNet3, Australia’s next generation research and education internet providing high capacity bandwidth and leading edge applications over the internet to the research and education sector throughout Australia.
The AARNet network serves more than one million end users and enables academics, researchers and students throughout Australia. Under his leadership, AARNet has developed one of the largest network footprints in the world connecting 19 points of presence across approximately 10,000 kilometres of fibre.
Mr Hancock joined AARNet from Optus, where he held several key executive positions including Managing Director for Optus Wholesale and Managing Director for Optus Business. Mr Hancock was an integral member of the senior executive team that completed the initial public offering as well as the eventual sale of Optus to Singtel.
In the decade prior to Optus, Mr Hancock held executive positions with Vodafone, the Seven Television Network and Sara Lee Corporation.
Mr Hancock holds a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) and an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management.
He is a Board Director of Smart Services CRC, IBES (Institute for Broadband Enabled Society) and the Starlight Foundation of NSW. |
