Mr Stickells has extensive experience in the interconnections between government, research and education. He is a former CEO of the WA Energy Research Alliance - a joint venture between the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and CSIRO. He has a strong research management background, which includes his current role as the CEO of Australia's Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre.

Professor Cindy Shannon was appointed Chair of the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Board in April 2024. She is former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Diversity & Inclusions) at Griffith University and a former ARC Advisory Council member. She has an extensive board and committee portfolio, with multiple ministerial appointments, including to the CSIRO Indigenous Engagement Strategic Advisory Committee.

Professor Harding is an experienced not-for-profit Board Director and higher education Senior Executive.  Current appointments include Chair of the Australian National Imaging Facility (NCRIS); non-Executive Director at SmartSat CRC Ltd; Chair of the Research Advisory Committee at James Martin Public Policy Institute; Professor Emeritus at the Australian National University; and Managing Director of Margaret Harding Consulting. She holds BSc (Hons), PhD and DSc degrees in chemistry from the University of Sydney.

Professor Dodds, a philosopher, recently retired from the position of Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Industry Engagement at La Trobe University. She brings relevant recent experience to the role. She was appointed by the Minister of Education as a member of the ARC Review Panel in 2022.

Professor Alastair McEwan joined the ARC as Executive Director, Biological Sciences and Biotechnology in November 2023. 

Professor Gavin Reid joined the ARC as Executive Director, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences in August 2023. 

Professor Reid received an Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Laboratory Technology) from Swinburne College of TAFE, Australia in 1988, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Science and PhD in Chemistry in 1997 and 2001, respectively, from the University of Melbourne, Australia. 

Professor Steven Weller joined the ARC as Executive Director, Engineering, Information and Computing Sciences in March 2023.

Prof. Weller received the B.E. (Hons. I) degree in Computer Engineering in 1988, the M.E. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1992, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1994, all from the University of Newcastle, Australia.

Professor Alison Ross joined the ARC as Executive Director, Humanities and Creative Arts in February 2023.

Prior to her appointment to the ARC, Professor Alison Ross had senior leadership experience on research matters through her time as Deputy Dean of Research in the Faculty of Arts at Monash University.

Currently she is Professor of Philosophy at Monash, has been an ARC Future Fellow, and most recently held the position of Academic Director Research in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at the university.

Professor Anika Gauja joined the ARC as Executive Director for the Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences in January 2023.

Prior to this, Anika was Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sydney, and previously Director of Research Development (Social Sciences).

Claire Forsyth was appointed Acting Deputy CEO in January 2025 and was previously Branch Manager of the Research Evaluation and Policy Branch at the ARC. Prior to this, Claire was with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources for 13 years, working across multiple different program, policy and executive areas, including leading the Business Outreach and Engagement Branch and Science Policy Branch where she has overseen major reform agendas and led the development and implementation of key government initiatives.