Experienced international funds manager, Grant Dooley, has been appointed chief executive officer of Breakthrough Victoria, which will drive commercialisation and investment in research and projects in the manufacturing sector among others.
“I look forward to heading up the Breakthrough Victoria team and working with researchers, founders, businesses and government to create more jobs for Victorians into the future,” Dooley said.
Breakthrough Victoria manages the $2 billion Breakthrough Victoria Fund announced in the Victorian Budget 2020/21. It will drive investment in key industry sectors such as advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, agri-food, clean economy and digital technologies.
It is run by an independent board chaired by former Victorian premier John Brumby, who oversaw the recruitment drive that attracted Dooley to Victoria.
“Breakthrough Victoria will see great ideas in Victoria commercialised faster, keeping our best ideas, businesses and jobs close to home,” Brumby said.
Dooley will return from Singapore to take up his new role, where he formerly headed ARA Infrastructure, managing public and private investment across the Asia-Pacific region. He was previously an executive director and head of Asia for Hastings Funds Management.
Before working in funds management, Dooley had a distinguished career as a trade official for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including two years as the Australian Consul General in Guangzhou, southern China from 2010-12.
“Grant Dooley brings a wealth of international investment experience to his new role – his skills will provide a huge boost to our research and development sector and the world leading experts working in it,” Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said.
“This is about harnessing our local talent – backing it with the investment it needs to turn bright ideas into long-term business opportunities and jobs for Victorians into the future.”
Dooley will take up his new role in early November.