Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) CEO, Sheryle Moon, will depart from the position at the end of this week to take up a new role as Australia and New Zealand director for Ross and Julia Ross staff recruitment brands.

AIIA national board member, Ian Birks, will formally step in as interim CEO from April 16. Moon said her time at the AIIA had been extremely rewarding on both a personal and professional level, but told Computerworld the new opportunity was too good to pass up.

"AIIA plays an essential role in the ICT community, and I have particularly enjoyed championing the ICT industry's public image and the role of women in the ICT workforce," she said.

"The last 18 months I've spent all of my time at AIIA talking about the need to grow and nurture Australian companies, to ensure they are successful domestically and offshore. This is an opportunity for me to make that work and to make a contribution."

Moon said she is looking forward to working with an Australian listed company after a number of positions with American multinationals. Reflecting on her time as AIIA CEO, she is particularly proud of taking the association into the modern technology era through such initiatives as its presence in Second Life, and being able to take a leadership position on ICT innovation and the environment.

"The sustainability forum we ran in Victoria last year, which was the first completely carbon neutral conference ever run in Australia. The Byteback scheme we ran in conjunction with Sustainability Victoria which was all about vendor engagement in a public/private partnership to ensure appropriate recycling and reuse of computer equipment, those are some things I am very proud of," Moon said.

Moon believes Ian Birks will stay as interim CEO for the remainder of the calendar year.

"It's a great opportunity [for Ian] because he is somebody who understands the association," she said.

National chairman of the AIIA board of directors, John Grant, said Birks' background as CEO of IT research and advisory firm, Ideas International, and his experience at the AIIA board level, leaves him well placed to lead the organisation.

In an AIIA statement, Birks said he was committed to providing leadership and influence for Australian business, government and community in "critical focus areas" of industry development, infrastructure, workforce, procurement and the environment.

"I will be unashamedly vocal about the contribution that ICT is making to our economic and social wellbeing and the potential it has to underpin the future opportunity for Australians and the Australian economy," he said.

Computerworld is awaiting a return call from Birks, who is currently in Western Australia.