AUCloud appoints Samantha Maher as head of government relations

AUCloud has announced the appointment of Samantha Maher as Head of Government Relations. Ms Maher brings over 30 years of experience in government relations, public policy, issues management, and strategic communications to the role.

Throughout her career, Ms Maher has consulted with leaders across various sectors including enterprise, government, education, and defence industries. AUCloud CEO Peter Maloney highlighted her appointment, noting her extensive background in both the public and private sectors. Mr Maloney stated, “The appointment of Sam as the Head of Government Relations strengthens AUCloud's Federal Government engagement. Her role will be pivotal to advancing our continued collaboration with Government, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the current legislative reform focused on hardening Australia's sovereign capabilities with robust cloud and cyber security solutions.”

Mr Maloney further explained the significance of Ms Maher’s role in the company, saying, “As we continue to grow and advance our solutions, Sam's role will be instrumental to help our customers navigate the complex landscape of governance, risk, and compliance when it comes to sovereign cloud capabilities, data protection and cyber security. Sam’s expertise and leadership will help drive organic revenue growth and product innovation, reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding Australia's data sovereignty and security.”

Ms Maher has recently contributed to several Federal Government committees. She was an invited contributor to the DEWR and DoE National Skills Passport Roundtable in 2024, as well as the Senate Finance and Public Administration Reference Committee Inquiry on sovereign capability in the Australian tech sector from 2023 to 2024.

Additionally, Ms Maher has participated in procurement roundtables with Senator David Pocock and Minister Katy Gallagher in 2023 and 2024. Her ongoing contributions underscore her expertise and active involvement in key industry and policy discussions. She also serves on several peak industry committees and is the founder and non-executive director of GovTech Australia.