Mr Barrington joined the board in 2019. He has more than 20 years’ experience advising boards and senior executives on growth strategies and, prior to this, worked in the technology industry for 12 years. He brings considerable strategy, governance and commercialisation experience to the Board, pertinent to the translation of research at the Harry Perkins Institute, having previously founded a big data firm providing services in Australia and Asia, chairing a technology platform company and co-founding and leading Artificial Intelligence medical technology company Artrya Ltd, which listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2021.

John also Chairs the Curtin University School of Management and John Curtin Gallery Advisory Boards and is Deputy Chair of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia. John was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from Curtin University in 2022. He was awarded the Australian Institute of Company Directors Director Award for Excellence in the Not-for-Profit Sector in 2017.

John was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours List in 2019, for significant service to the community of Western Australia.