Chief AI Officer | PE-Backed Portfolio Company The Opportunity A private equity-backed portfolio company is seeking a Chief AI Officer to join the Executive Leadership team, reporting to the CIO. This is a newly created mandate for a senior executive who can define and deliver an enterprise AI agenda that is commercially disciplined, investment-grade, and built to scale.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, technology, and governance. It carries genuine executive accountability for the AI roadmap, for the capital deployed against it, and for the outcomes it delivers. The successful candidate will operate with a high degree of autonomy and be trusted to exercise sound, independent judgement on behalf of the business.

About the Role The Chief AI Officer will act as the principal link between AI strategy and the organisation's key governance bodies the Executive Leadership Team, the Non-Executive Board, and the company's technology partners. This individual will hold ultimate ownership for ensuring the AI roadmap is fully aligned with the business strategy, the broader technology roadmap, and the investment strategy set by the company and its shareholders.

Key Responsibilities

- Define, own and continuously evolve the AI roadmap, ensuring full alignment with business strategy, technology architecture, and the investment strategy
- Serve as the critical conduit between AI, the Executive Leadership Team, the Non-Executive Board, and external technology partners providing clear, credible reporting and counsel at Board level
- Own key strategic decisions on build vs. partner vs. offshore, evaluating options through a commercial, risk, and delivery lens to determine the optimal route for each capability
- Establish and safeguard the critical relationship between AI and cybersecurity, ensuring AI adoption is matched by a proportionate, rigorous approach to data security, model risk,



and information governance
- Identify and prioritise AI-enabled opportunities for commercial advantage, operational efficiency, and value creation, while proactively surfacing and resolving roadblocks ahead of impact
- Build and present the investment case for AI initiatives in a manner that withstands PE-level scrutiny, balancing ambition with disciplined capital allocation
- Partner with functional and technology leadership to ensure initiatives are deliverable, governed, and appropriately resourced
- Represent the business credibly in front of investors, Operating Partners, and Board members on all matters relating to AI strategy and execution

The Successful Applicant

- Prior experience in an Executive Leadership AI role is highly desirable
- Experience within a PE-backed portfolio company, and prior exposure to working with Operating Partners and investment stakeholders, is advantageous but not essential
- Strong business understanding of AI/ML concepts and their strategic, commercial application - this is an executive role requiring business fluency, not solely deep technical expertise
- Demonstrated experience navigating the relationship between AI strategy and cybersecurity/data governance
- A track record of sound decision-making on build, partner, and offshore strategies, with the commercial judgement to weigh cost, capability, control, and risk
- Comfortable operating autonomously at pace, with the gravitas and communication skill to influence CEOs, Boards, and investors
- A pragmatic, chance-led operator who takes ownership of outcomes rather than escalating problems

Why This Role

This is a rare opportunity to shape AI strategy from the top table of a PE-backed business, with direct CEO sponsorship, Board visibility, and the mandate to act. It suits an executive who wants genuine ownership not a supporting technology function, but a seat at the strategic table where investment decisions are made.

📌 Chief AI Officer (Melbourne)
🏢 Jacob Thomas Executive
📍 Melbourne