On DFAT's InnovationXChange: 'We need to take risks — appropriate risks'

When Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop launched InnovationXChange in March as an innovative hub to solve aid-related problems, there was limited understanding of how this would impact the Australian aid program. Six months on, the program within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has a more defined direction and a clearer vision for the future.

Chris Vein has been involved in the program from the early stages. A former chief innovation officer for Global Technology Development at the World Bank, the American has two key roles as part of InnovationXChange. First, he serves as a member of the 14-person International Reference Group. Second, he advises Bishop, secretary of DFAT Peter Varghese and InnovationXChange head Lisa Rauter to think through strategically what is possible with the hub and how it should be built to fully achieve its potential.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, identified Vein as the man for the job. When he was first approached about the project, Vein was still working at the World Bank with his role searching out innovative approaches and projects that had the potential to scale around the world. Technology-based solutions were fundamental to this work and it was this drive for technology-enabled innovation in the Australian aid program that enticed Vein to the job.