Megan Clark


Megan Elizabeth Clark is an Australian geologist and business executive, former director of the CSIRO, and head of the Australian Space Agency.

Early life and education

Clark was educated at Presbyterian Ladies' College. Clark was awarded a BSc in Economic Geology at the University of Western Australia in 1981, and a Doctorate in Economic Geology at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario in 1987.

Career

She began her career as a mine geologist and subsequently worked in mineral exploration, mine geology, R&D management, venture capital and technical strategy areas with Western Mining Corporation. Clark also worked in a corporate venture fund with Advent International in Boston.
She was then a director of N M Rothschild & Sons and was Vice-president Technology and subsequently Vice-president Health, Safety, Environment, Community and Sustainability with BHP Billiton from 2003 to 2008.
Clark was a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, as well as the Prime Minister’s Taskforce on Manufacturing. She is also a Commissioner on the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
In 2009 she was appointed Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, making her its first female chief executive. Under her leadership CSIRO was credited for a number of new ventures, including wireless research.
Since 2014, she has been a non-executive director of Rio Tinto Limited.
As a Rio Tinto board member, she began serving as chairman of the Sustainability Committee in May 2016, and has become a member of the Remuneration Committee with effect from 1 May 2016.
On 14 May 2018, it was announced that she would head the Australian Space Agency, after leading the 2017 review into Australia's space capabilities.

Awards

In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours List, Clark was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, for "eminent service to scientific research and development through fostering innovation, to science administration through strategic leadership roles, and to the development of public policy for technological sciences".

Personal life

Clark is married to Trent Hutchinson who is also a graduate of Queens University.