Murdoch U VC Eeva Leinonen is new chair of the Innovative Research Universities lobby, replacing Flinders’ Colin Stirling. The chair rotates among IRU members.

Clare McLaughlin is the new general manager of the National Health and Medical Research Council. She moves from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science where she was GM, science agencies governance. Ms McLaughlin replaces Tony Willis who moved to the Australian Research Council to be GM.

ANU’s Lyndall Strazdins is the new director of the university’s Research School of Population Health.

Michael Adams has started as dean of law at the University of New England. He stepped down as dean of the Western Sydney U law school last May, staying as a professor of corporate law (CMM May 25 2017).

HE policy (but not grizzled) veteran Andrew Dempster has joined KPMG in Canberra. Mr Dempster was a staffer with former Labor education minister Chris Evans and an advisor to Swinburne VC Linda Kristjanson. He moves from his own practise, Proofpoint Advisory.  Canberra Andrew Dempster is not to be confused with Melbourne Andrew Dempster, who leads KPMG’s mental health advisory practice.