Australia’s largest startup community, Fishburners, will farewell its first employee next month as CEO Pandora Shelley hands over the reigns to pursue international opportunities.
Ms Shelley joined Fishburners in 2011 and has taken on numerous roles and responsibilities including, community manager, marketing manager, and chief operations officer before taking on the role of CEO over a year ago.
Fishburners Board Chair Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO said Pandora had made an invaluable contribution to the growth of Fishburners during her eight years in the organisation.
“We are very sad to lose Pandora, but we are excited to see her step onto the world stage and look forward to her being a global ambassador for Australian startups,” said Dr Woodthorpe.
Following record-breaking growth in 2018, Dr Woodthorpe said Fishburners was in a strong position with a talented and expanding team.
“We are grateful to Pandora for leaving the organisation in such fantastic shape. Fishburners has seen phenomenal growth with membership growing to over 800 members nationally. Pandora and her team have managed a new chapter for the community moving the business to Sydney Startup Hub in 2018 closely followed by the expansion of the Brisbane office and the launch of our virtual membership base.
“The past 18 months has also seen numerous partnerships established or strengthened with the community such as Google for Startups, Jobs for NSW, Brisbane City Council, UTS, Optus and Chartered Accountants ANZ.”
Ms Shelley thanked the board and her colleagues at Fishburners for their contribution to the amazing achievements of the past year.
“The Fishburners experience has been an amazing opportunity and I have been part of a unique growth journey for Australian startups across this time. I am leaving on a high and at a natural transition point for a new growth and expansion phase of the business. I will remain forever a champion of Fishburners, and Australian startups, particularly as they pursue their own global ambitions,” she said.
“After eight years within the organisation, Fishburners is like family to me – and this has been a very difficult decision. I am leaving to pursue my dream of travelling and working offshore for a period of time.”
Fishburners has begun the recruitment process for a new CEO.
