Ireland is new EA president

Professor Vernon Ireland is the new President of the Sydney Division of Engineers Australia.

With an initial background in structural engineering, and then two decades of project management, Professor Ireland's track record has been established equally between industry and academia.

He is currently based at Sydney's Australian Technology Park, as Professor of Project Management and Director of Industry Programmes for the Education Centre for Innovation and Commercialisation (ECIC), part of The University of Adelaide.

Professor Ireland understands the importance and relevance of efficient project management in all sectors of industry. He believes it is a basic competency required by all organisations, and says there is limited recognition of the need to look at planning and control.

Many senior executives had seen the crucial role of project managers as merely being the facilitation of operational procedures; that they had no real importance to the company as they did not generate entrepreneurial activity or cash flow. "The disciplines of project management are very important to provide structure for the comprehensive and balanced development of projects," Professor Ireland said.