Rewiring Australia is excited to announce that Francis Vierboom has been appointed as our new chief executive officer. As electrification efforts accelerate across Australia, Francis is stepping into the leadership role to help drive community pilots and expand our mobilisation work.
Francis is already deeply involved in the electrification movement. He was part of the original volunteer team behind the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot and joined Rewiring Australia in March 2023 to help design the pilot project that launched last October. Since then, he has played a key role as our Market Transformation Manager, engaging with industry leaders, regulators, and businesses to unlock electrification opportunities. He's also led research and advocacy for new policies that can accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels for households and communities.
Before joining Rewiring Australia, Francis built a successful career as a tech entrepreneur, serving as CEO and co-founder of Propeller Aero, a global drone software company. His background spans law, IT, privacy and technology policy consulting, international development in Mongolia, and even a stint at Amazon. He has also dedicated the past five years to serving on the board of the Financial Rights Legal Centre.
Rewiring Australia’s chair, Dr Saul Griffith, believes Francis is the right person to lead the organisation into this critical next phase:
“As electrification starts to scale up in our households and communities, Francis has the right combination of skills, experience, and insight to steer our work forward. Australia is uniquely positioned to lead the world in electrification, and communities across the country are already proving that we can move away from expensive fossil fuels faster than anyone else. Francis will be pivotal to this effort.”
Our outgoing CEO Dan Cass leaves an amazing legacy to the organisation. Since co-founding Rewiring Australia four years ago, Dan has been a tireless advocate for an energy transition that benefits all Australians. His leadership has helped make the case for electrification clear to policymakers and households alike. While Dan is stepping down to focus on new opportunities in policy and research, we know he will continue to be a powerful voice in the movement.
As Francis takes the reins, Rewiring Australia remains committed to scaling up electrification, supporting community-led projects, and advocating for policies that make it easier for all Australians to power their homes and lives with clean, affordable energy. We’re looking forward to this next chapter—stay tuned for what’s ahead!
Rewiring Australia is a non-profit, independent, non-partisan organisation dedicated to representing the people, households and communities in the energy system. We empirically demonstrate and communicate the cost savings, emissions reductions, and energy system benefits of electrification.
Rewiring Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live, meet and work and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
Rewiring Australia is a member of Climate Action Network Australia.
Contact us: electrify@rewiringaustralia.org
