Infoxchange Founder to Step Down After 23 years of Social Innovation
15 September 2011 at 9:52 am
The founder of national technology provider, Infoxchange, Andrew Mahar, has announced he is stepping down from his role as Executive Director and CEO.
The announcement comes more than two decades after Mahar built a computer database in a garage to help homeless people find beds, turning it into a social enterprise which today employs over 70 people and has a proven sustainable business model.
The Chairman of Infoxchange, Lee Wapling says that d uring his time at the helm of Infoxchange, Mahar has helped to build a leading Not for Profit social enterprise, using Information & Communication Technology (ICT) to create positive social change.
Founded 23 years ago with a $2500 grant, Infoxchange has grown its scope and services significantly, based on its mission to use technology for social justice. It operates more than 15 initiatives and enterprises designed to address digital and social disadvantage and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of community service organisations in Australia and the Asia Pacific through better use of information communications technology.
Wapling says that while Infoxchange will miss Andrew Mahar’s leadership, they are also celebrating his impressive social contribution building a sustainable and robust business, and playing a vital part in putting Australia’s digital divide on the public policy agenda.
He says he has also led the development of tools and solutions that help other community organisations use technology effectively.
Mahar says the move will allow him more time to pursue his role as an advocate for Digital Inclusion in Australia and to ensure that everyone who wants to participate in 21st century Australia is able to do so.
He says Infoxchange is providing funding for a Digital Inclusion campaign designed to increase access to the digital world for disadvantaged and low-income groups.
He says he will also stay involved in the independent social enterprises supported by Infoxchange, including Carbonxchange and InfoTimor.
Mahar will remain at Infoxchange for another six months and the organisation says it has put in place a detailed succession plan while it searches for a new CEO.
Wapling says the organisation has a strong management team in place and a diverse range of technology projects and services, so the new CEO will help us identify opportunities to grow the organisation, its influence and its outcomes.
Pro Bono Australia’s Founder Karen Mahlab says Andrew Mahar has always delivered concrete projects and results to back up his vision around delivering technology for social justice.
Mahlab says he’s built a robust and significant organisation through hard work and long term dedication.
She says his next stage – to act as an advocate for issues around digital divide – is perfect and it’s great that he’ll be reinventing himself to stay within the sector.
