Andrew Charles Darbyshire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Website | www |
Andrew Charles Darbyshire AM is an Australian software company executive, philanthropist, author, and speaker. He is chairman of Pacsoft, a software development company, and is also active in several charitable and fundraising organisations.
During his teens, Darbyshire developed a passion for electronics and radio communications, and spent hours dismantling things to see how they worked. In 1976, aged 15, he left school for an apprenticeship in radio station engineering at 3DB and studied at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). [1]
In 1979, Darbyshire was hired by Time and Frequency Technology, a manufacturer of broadcast equipment in Santa Clara, California, the heart of Silicon Valley. [1]
In the mid-1980s Darbyshire founded a software company, Pacsoft. The company publishes inventory management software and now has about 35 staff and offices in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. [2] In 2000 he sold his company to a small public company in Sydney for $7.5million. In 2004 Darbyshire bought back the business for $200,000 and has since rebuilt it to be a leader in its class throughout the world. [3] From some 30 staff, 10 have been with him for more than 10 years. [3]
With help from LEK Consulting, Darbyshire established a retail fundraising arm of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, a research institute in Australia. Howard Florey was the man who saved millions of lives through the mass manufacture of penicillin. Andrew established Caitlin's Fund @ The Florey, a perpetual trust that annually awards a travel scholarship to a young scientist to present a paper at a conference. [4] They also established the Caitlin Darbyshire Trust at the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, a community foundation in Australia. [5] Darbyshire is the Founder and Patron of Caitlin's Retreat. Situated 15 kilometres from Melbourne's central business district, Caitlin's Retreat is a place that provides spacious and functional accommodation and facilities, for special needs children and their families to have a holiday together. [6]
In 2000, Darbyshire conceived the idea of building a zoo within Children's Hospital.[ which? ] At this time, the plans for the new children's hospital were being drawn up and Andrew lobbied for the new Children's Hospital in Melbourne to incorporate a zoo, run by the Royal Melbourne Zoo. The hospital, due to open in 2011, will include a meerkat enclosure and large aquarium in the main foyer. [7]
Darbyshire is or was a board member of the following foundations; Florey Neurosciences Foundation Council, Zoos Victoria Foundation, Petstock Foundation. He is a councilor of AbaF – Australian Business Arts Foundation and a member for the Committee for Melbourne and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. [8]
Darbyshire is chairman and Founder of Caitlin's Retreat, chairman of The Click Foundation finding a cure for epilepsy. member of SecondBite Fundraising Committee, board member of Florey Neurosciences Foundation Council, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In the past, he was a board member of the Song Room, board member of the Zoos Victoria Foundation, [8] board member of the Petstock Foundation, and chairman of the board of CAPRA (Child Abuse Prevention Research Australia) @ Monash University, [9] and a member of The Rees Advisory Group. [10]
He is also an author and speaker. [11]
Darbyshire was named a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2012 Australia Day Honours for "service to the community as a supporter of research into child-related brain conditions, through contributions to special needs children and their families, and to the arts."[ citation needed ]
Darbyshire has three daughters. When one of them, Caitlin, was four months old, she was diagnosed with infantile spasms, a form of epilepsy. One month later an MRI revealed that she had a condition called tuberous sclerosis (TS), which is a rare genetic disease that causes benign tumours to grow in the brain and other organs. After many tests it was confirmed that Caitlin's were contained to her brain. Throughout 2005 and 2006 Caitlin's health deteriorated and the brain tumours kept recurring. Caitlin died on 24 August 2006. [1]
Howard Walter Florey, Baron Florey, was an Australian pharmacologist and pathologist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 with Ernst Chain and Sir Alexander Fleming for his role in the development of penicillin.
The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, more commonly known as The Florey, is an Australian medical research institute that undertakes research into treatments for brain and mind disorders. The institute's areas of interest include Parkinson's disease, stroke, motor neurone disease, addiction, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Autism, Huntington's disease, depression, schizophrenia, brain function in health and disease, heart failure, and dementia.
Graeme Milbourne Clark is an Australian Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne. Worked in ENT surgery, electronics and speech science contributed towards the development of the multiple-channel cochlear implant. His invention was later marketed by Cochlear Limited.
The Mental Health Research Institute (MHRI) is a former Australian medical research institute that was focused upon improving the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of major mental disorders. The MHRI was active between 1956 and 2012, when it was merged with the Florey Neuroscience Institutes to form the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. Based in Melbourne, Victoria, the research efforts of the MHRI were focused on understanding schizophrenia, bipolar and major mood disorders, and Alzheimer's disease.
Alan Simon Finkel is an Australian neuroscientist, inventor, researcher, entrepreneur, educator, policy advisor, and philanthropist. He was Australia’s Chief Scientist from 2016 to 2020. Prior to his appointment, his career included Chancellor of Monash University, President of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), and CEO and founder of Axon Instruments, and CTO for the electric car start-up Better Place Australia.
Sir Laurence Macdonald Muir, VRD, FSIA, FAIM was an Australian Businessman and Philanthropist.
Charles Barrington Goode AC is an Australian director of public companies.
Kenneth Baillieu Myer, was an American-born Australian patron of the arts, humanities and sciences; diplomat, administrator, businessman and philanthropist. He was a member of the notable Melbourne retailing Myer family. Myer made significant philanthropic and personal contributions to the development of major national institutions, most notably the Howard Florey Laboratories of Experimental Physiology and Medicine, the School of Oriental Studies at the University of Melbourne, the Victorian Arts Centre and the National Library of Australia. In 1959, he became Benefactor and Co-Founder of The Myer Foundation with his brother Baillieu Myer AC. He was also the founding chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Primrose Potter, Lady Potter AC is an Australian philanthropist and arts administrator. She is particularly associated with The Australian Ballet. She is the widow of Sir Ian Potter.
Joseph Gersh is an Australian businessman who works as a director for public and private companies in Australia. He is also the founder and Executive Chairman of Gersh Investment Partners Limited (GIPL). With interests in real estate, banking and the arts, Gersh has been recognized as an influential figure in the business community, particularly in Melbourne. He is also a prominent member of the Australian Jewish community. He currently serves as a direct Ministerial appointment on the Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Harold Charles Mitchell was an Australian businessman, media buyer, philanthropist and humanitarian.
Allan James Myers is an Australian barrister, academic, businessman, landowner and philanthropist, and the previous Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.
Julie Bernhardt is an Australian physiotherapist and clinician scientist, known for her work in the field of stroke recovery. She has been a principal research fellow and an NHMRC senior research fellow and clinical head of the Stroke Division at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne.
Elizabeth Scarr is an Australian scientist. Her research investigates the chemical changes in the brain associated schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Professor Leeanne Carey is a world leading Australian neuroscientist in occupational therapy and stroke rehabilitation and recovery research. She is the founding leader of the Neurorehabilitation and Recovery research group in the Stroke division at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia, and currently holds a Future Fellowship awarded by the Australian Research Council (ARC).
The Children's Cancer Foundation is a registered Australian charity that supports children with cancer and their families.
Professor Anne Kelso is an Australian biomedical researcher specialising in immunology and influenza. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Perry Francis Bartlett is an Australian neuroscientist. He was awarded the Florey Medal in 2015.
Sidney Baillieu Myer, also known as Bails Myer, was an Australian businessman and philanthropist. A member of the Myer family retailing dynasty, he was the son of Sidney and Merlyn Myer. He joined his family's company, the Myer Emporium, in 1949 and became its chairman in 1983. He oversaw its merger with GJ Coles & Company to create Coles Myer and retired from business in 1994. In his later life, Myer was involved with philanthropic, scientific and arts organisations.
Ramesh Rajan is an Australian neuroscientist whose work focuses on sensory neuroscience and traumatic brain injury. He is a professor at Monash University, Australia.