Rick Ross

Rick Ross is a former CIO and CTO, EY Distinguished Technologist, Co-Chair of the Digital Economic Council of Australia's AI Working Group and a PhD researcher specialising in enterprise AI and frontier technologies. He helps organisations navigate the complex decisions surrounding technology investment, architecture, governance, risk, financial economics, and operating models to create sustainable business value. Drawing on experience as both a technology executive and trusted advisor, Rick's work focuses on how organisations scale emerging and frontier technologies such as AI, Blockchain & Digital Assets, and Quantum Computing from investment to measurable outcomes.

Rick's doctoral research spans Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, where he collaborates with boards, executives, business leaders, academics, and policymakers to understand how frontier technologies move from experimentation to enterprise scale. His research examines how organisations convert technology investments into sustained productivity, innovation, and competitive advantage, and how these outcomes contribute to broader economic growth.

How Rick is shaping the future with confidence

“I take every opportunity to make a difference, creating positive change through small, practical steps. I’m building and sharing a body of knowledge that helps firms adopt frontier technologies with confidence, moving from experimentation to trusted, scalable outcomes. My focus is on frontier technologies such as AI, blockchain, quantum and Web3 and how they can drive economic disruption by reshaping productivity, trust and the way value is created and exchanged. By reimagining how we work, transact and govern in the digital economy, I help firms adapt, grow and scale through change.”