Chief Executive Officer, ACOLA
Director, ACOLA
Prerana Mehta is CEO of the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) and brings a depth of global experience in partnerships, collaborating with research institutions, government, not-for-profit and private sector focused on technology in critical and emerging growth sectors. She is a natural leader, communicator and networker with a comprehensive understanding of the power of public private partnerships to transform policy and resolve barriers to growth.
Prerana was Director of Strategic Partnerships Australia’s National Science Agency, CSIRO until August 2024. As Division Head, she led the Global, National and State Priorities branches, with a mandate to grow strategic science partnerships through mutually beneficial research models to solve complex challenges. During that time she forged multiple year programs with Governments and leading research institutions in the USA, South East Asia, India and the Pacific aligned to Australian and regional policy priorities.
Previously Deputy CEO and Chief of Ecosystem Development at AustCyber, Australia’s Cyber Security Growth Network, Prerana supported the development of a vibrant and globally competitive cyber security sector. Prior to this role, Prerana was Minister Counsellor, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner in Singapore, leading Austrade’s operations in promoting trade and investment opportunities from Australia to the ASEAN region.
Prerana is on the Board of SisterWorks, a Victoria based NGO that enables migrant, refugee and asylum seeker women gain independence and learn new social and vocational skills to improve their economic outlook. She stepped in as interim CEO in September 2021 to lead the organisation through a critical transformation period until early 2022.
Prerana is a member of AICD and provides board advisory services to several start-ups.