Corkman sets Brisbane’s digital world to rights down under

Australia has long been a key destination for those choosing to leave Ireland to seek their fortune. For Kieran O'Hea, it was the chance to take up a unique role that led him down under.

He relocated two years ago after being appointed to what he considered a dream job. Brisbane had become the second city in the world after New York to create the position of chief digital officer in July 2012. A number of others –– including Boston, Philadelphia and Vancouver – have since followed suit.

Some local politicians mocked the newly-created position as being little more than “chief tweeter” for the lord mayor, but O’Hea relished the chance to put theory into practice as Brisbane sought ways to become a hub for digital business.

“The lord mayor and his economic steering commission wanted to position the city so it would be a participant in the global digital economy, which is worth an estimated $20 trillion [€14.4 trillion]. They were afraid it could pass them by unless active steps were taken. My role was to position Brisbane so that it would meet this challenge,” said O’Hea.

The Corkman audited the city’s business community to see how it used technology and encouraged further uptake among local companies. During his two-year contract, which finished last month, he also developed and implemented a digital economy growth strategy.

Digital strategy

This led to the development of a digital capability framework, the provision of funding for a number of start-ups and the creation of the world’s first chair in digital economics.

“We figured out there were around 120,000 SMEs in Brisbane, but only 30 per cent of them were engaged in the digital economy at that time. We decided to double that over five years, which was a big challenge. In the first year alone, we got about 30,000 online and offline engagements with companies as against a target of 20,000, so it has proved very successful,” he said.

O’Hea’s previous experience included 10 years developing and delivering digital strategies for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Concern and Tourism Ireland, among others. As he had also spent 10 years advising the European Commission in managing online projects worth €200 million, the Aussies obviously believed they had the right man for the job.

“One of the biggest challenges we had to face was dealing with the sense of anticipation. I had been offered the job in February, but delays meant that it was July before I arrived. People were excited about it all so I had to hit the ground running. I arrived jet-lagged and looking as though I’d a hangover due to travelling so long, but was immediately put in front of the media.

“It was nice to be in a situation in which there was a lot of interest and it was typical of Brisbane, where everything is an event. At the same time, it meant that I had to get to work quickly to deliver on what had been promised,” he added.

It’s not the first time he has lived outside Ireland. O’Hea spent 10 years in Belgiums and Luxembourg in the 1990s. While he admits that living overseas can often be easier when you’re younger, he has come to enjoy living and working in his adopted country.

Ferry to work

“I’m not a great fan of cities generally and the centre of Brisbane is very much designed for the business community, so there’s little happening there at the weekend. So I’ve often travelled and really tried to enjoy as much of this vast country as I can. Back in Brisbane, I’ve got a nice apartment overlooking the river and take the ferry to and from work every day, so it’s a good lifestyle.”

With his contract coming to an end, his first thoughts were of returning home to Ireland. This was partly to be closer to his two daughters, but also because he wanted to be involved in Dublin’s growth as a digital economy. He may stay in Australia, however, where he has received a number of offers to sponsor his visa.

“I’m disappointed in a way that there doesn’t really seem to be much for me in Ireland right now. Before I came here, I was very active on the scene campaigning for the development of a national digital strategy and a masterplan for Dublin. These have come into being but little else has happened in practical terms.”

He’s also frustrated that many of the ideas that ended up featuring in the city of Brisbane’s digital economy strategy were ones that O’Hea had first developed and hoped to implement in Ireland.

“The reality is that things haven’t really moved forward much in my absence and I may be forced to extend my stay here. I’d happily take on a similar role to the one I’ve just completed in Ireland or elsewhere in Europe, but it may be some time before such a position is created,” he said.