Simon Hackett

Simon at Base64 3Simon Hackett is an Australian business leader who combines entrepreneurial energy with technical expertise. After building Internode into Australia's largest privately-owned broadband company, Simon sold Internode to iiNet Ltd, Australia’s second-largest provider of DSL broadband services. After serving as a non-executive director on the iiNet board for 18 months, Simon resigned that role in November 2013 to become a non-executive director of NBN Co, the government-owned company building the National Broadband Network. Simon has also invested in a number of innovative Australian start-up technology companies.

For media assistance, call John Harris on +61 8 8431 4000 or email john@impress.com.au.  

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64 North Terrace, Kent TownAn historic Adelaide mansion has undergone a multi-million-dollar metamorphosis that has transformed the heritage-listed 19th century pile into a 21st century landmark.

The property - formerly housing the Parkin Theological College and Pepper Studios - is a distinctive visual and historic element in Kent Town, a fringe suburb east of Adelaide’s CBD.

Constructed in 1865 of bluestone and sandstone rubble with brick quoins, the original two-storey building contains picturesque detailing with a facade of profiled brick, scalloped barges and a cantilevered balcony.

When Adelaide-based technology entrepreneur Simon Hackett paid $3.5 million for the property in 2012, he decided to restore it to its former glory while bringing it aesthetically, structurally and functionally into the 21st century.

“It is such a beautiful property that had been extended and maintained quite haphazardly over the years,” said Simon. “We wanted these renovations to make this an Adelaide landmark building for the next 100 years.”

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AvSoft CEO Bevan AndersonAustralia’s award-winning flight planning software developer AvSoft has substantially enhanced its AvPlan EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) iPad app with an arsenal of new features.

As well as integration to send flight plans from AvPlan EFB to Jeppesen FliteDeck and a more complete picture of changing weather patterns, AvPlan EFB version 5.0 delivers audible cockpit notifications, a refuelling price database and new calculators for the lowest safe flying altitude and pre-planned gliding ranges.

AvPlan EFB, used by thousands of professional and amateur pilots in Australia, New Zealand and the US, is developed in Melbourne by AvSoft, a privately owned company that last month won the Aerospace Australia Ltd Civil Industry National Innovation Award for 2015.

AvSoft CEO Bevan Anderson said AvPlan EFB’s latest free software upgrade would benefit subscribing pilots in all three countries. “This is a huge release, which has features coming out of its ears,” he said.

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AvSoft CEO Bevan Anderson (left) with award and investor Simon HackettAvSoft Australia, developer of the internationally successful AvPlan EFB software, has won a major accolade at the National Aerospace Industry Innovation Awards in Melbourne.

AvSoft Australia received the Aerospace Australia Ltd Civil Industry National Innovation Award for 2015, recognising it as at the forefront of commercial aerospace innovation. First presented in 2013, the National Aerospace Industry Innovation Awards are organised by Aerospace Australia Ltd, the not-for-profit foundation that organises the biennial Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition at Avalon Airport in Victoria.

AvSoft Australia’s flagship product, AvPlan EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) is an iOS app that simplifies the process of preparing aircraft flight plans, letting pilots replace bulky documentation and messy maps with an iPad. An entry-level version of AvPlan EFB is also available for Android devices.

AvSoft Australia CEO Bevan Anderson said the award demonstrated the success AvPlan EFB had achieved during the past two years. “We’ve gone from one product in Australia to apps for iOS and Android used by thousands of pilots in Australia, New Zealand and the US, ” he said.

More News...

  1. NBNco director Simon Hackett joins RedFlow board (21 November 2014)
  2. Hackett ticks the boxes for Charles Todd Medal (07 November 2014)
  3. AvPlan launches Android version (13 October 2014)
  4. Australian tech startup BlueChilli announces $5M investment round (02 September 2014)
  5. Simon shares iPhone 5s photo tips (13 June 2014)
  6. Simon Hackett invests $2.2 million in RedFlow (21 May 2014)
  7. AvPlan takes off in the USA (12 April 2014)
  8. AvPlan takes off in New Zealand (24 January 2014)
  9. Simon Hackett spreads his wings with AvPlan (08 November 2013)