Executive team

Find out about our executive team, including our Chief Executive Officer and Director of Meteorology

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CEO and Director of Meteorology – Andrew Johnson

Headshot of Dr Andrew Johnson.

Dr Andrew Johnson is our Chief Executive Officer and Director of Meteorology. He is Australia’s Permanent Representative to the World Meteorological Organization and the accountable authority for the Australian Climate Service.

Andrew's career spans multiple sectors and geographies, especially primary industries, energy, water, emergency management, national security and the environment.

Prior to joining the Bureau, Andrew founded Johnson & Associates Consulting to provide environmental and agricultural knowledge services to government and industry.

For nearly a decade, he was part of the executive team for CSIRO – Australia's national science agency. Andrew led their water, land, climate, marine and urban work. At CSIRO, he held a range of other senior technical and operational leadership roles.

Andrew has also held several non-executive director roles across a range of domains in the private, government and not-for-profit sectors, both in Australia and internationally.

Andrew has a PhD from the University of Queensland and a Masters from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technical Sciences & Engineering and Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was awarded a Public Service Medal in the 2024 Australia Day Honours.

Group Executive, Community Services – Piero Chessa

Headshot of Piero Chessa.

Piero is our Group Executive, Community Services. He joined the Bureau in March 2020 after 13 years at The Boeing Company, where he held senior positions in operations and data science activities.

A physicist by profession, Piero moved from theoretical physics to atmospheric dynamics and accepted the challenge to build a regional meteorological service in Italy. During this time, his work encompassed operations, research and development.

Piero spent a few years as senior scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in the United Kingdom. He then joined The Boeing Company, where he covered a few roles in operations and data science.

Piero combines a strong domain competence and an established experience in public services, with a deep and varied knowledge of operations in multinational corporations.

Chief Customer Officer – Peter Stone

Headshot of Peter Stone.

Peter is our Chief Customer Officer and Group Executive, Business Solutions.

Peter joined the Bureau in July 2017. His work in industry and government, in Australia and abroad, has focused on understanding customer needs and creating science-based partnerships and programs that meet them.

Peter has contributed to advances in policy, planning and practice in the fields of infrastructure, regional development, natural resource management and food processing. He has a master’s degree in agriculture and a PhD from the University of Melbourne.

Peter has a decade-long commitment to Scientists in Schools and is the Bureau’s Indigenous Champion.

Chief Information and Technology Officer – Nichole Brinsmead

Headshot of Nichole Brinsmead.

Nichole commenced with the Bureau of Meteorology in February 2018 as Group Executive Data and Digital, and Chief Information and Technology Officer.

In this position, Nichole is accountable for the operations, security and delivery of the data, infrastructure and systems that underpin the Bureau's operations. She is a member of the Bureau Executive Committee and chairs the Bureau's Security, Risk and Business Continuity Committee.

Nichole has had over than 20 years' experience in a diverse range of roles across several business and technology domains in the financial services, higher education, professional services, emergency services and government sectors.

Nichole has an outstanding track record of delivery in complex operating environments both in Australia and overseas. She has led a number of successful enterprise-wide transformations that have resulted in significant uplifts in performance.

She was appointed to the Board of Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) in 2019 and is an advisor to the Bureau's partner in the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre. Nichole has a very strong people and customer orientation and is the Bureau's Gender Equality Champion.

Nichole was appointed as the Australian National Focal Point to the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Committee in 2020.

Chief Scientist – Robert Argent

Headshot of Rob Argent, General Manager of Research to Operations at the Bureau of Meteorology.

Dr Robert Argent is the Bureau's Chief Scientist and Group Executive, Science and Innovation.

Rob was appointed to this role in 2025, after 5 years as our General Manager, Research to Operations. In this capacity, he managed the team responsible for turning numerical models and analytical and post-processing systems research into reliable operation systems.

Rob is the Australian representative on the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Panel on Polar and High-mountain Observations, Research and Services. It provides strategic, advocacy and engagement recommendations to the WMO Executive Council. He also chairs the Panel's Antarctic Advisory Group.

Rob joined the Bureau in 2008 to lead development and delivery of the Australian Water Resources Information System. Since then, he has managed the Climate and Water Information Technology Services Branch, directed our Water Information Research and Development Alliance partnership with CSIRO, managed the research portfolio for weather and climate, and was general manager for our water program.

Group Executive, Enterprise Services – Astrid Heward

Headshot of Astrid Heward.

Astrid is acting as our Group Executive, Enterprise Services, and General Counsel. This includes Chief Operating Officer and Chief Security Officer responsibilities.

Astrid is responsible for human resources, finance, property, health, safety and environment, government relations, corporate communication, legal services, risk management and internal audit.

Astrid joined the Bureau in 2018. Previously she worked across a range of private technology, fast-moving consumer goods organisations, and the not-for-profit sector. These roles focused on legal services, risk management and governance.

Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Economics.

Group Executive, Australian Climate Service – Vicki Woodburn

Headshot of Vicki Woodburn.

Vicki leads the Australian Climate Service (ACS). The ACS is a strategic collaboration among the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Geoscience Australia. It aims to empower Australia to adapt and thrive amid climate change by providing critical climate and natural hazard risk information.

Under Vicki’s leadership, the ACS is enhancing national capabilities to understand and manage climate risks, supporting evidence-based decision-making across many sectors.

With a distinguished career in public policy, Vicki brings over 20 years of experience in managing high-impact programs focused on resilience, resource management, and climate adaptation. Her expertise spans government, research, and private sectors, emphasising data-driven solutions and innovative partnerships.

Vicki previously held senior roles at the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, where she led initiatives to support water reforms and community engagement, and at the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, advancing climate resilience and industry sustainability.

Vicki is known for building strong, collaborative teams and fostering partnerships that drive lasting change. She has a bachelor's degree in applied science from the Australian National University.

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