Mr Chris Birrer
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Services Australia
On 30 September 2023, Chris Birrer started in the role of acting Chief Executive Officer, Services Australia. Previously, Chris was Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Payments and Integrity Group. In this role, Chris was responsible for payment accuracy and debt programs, fraud control and investigations, customer identity issues, and appeals. Mr Birrer also led the agency’s response to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme.
Prior to joining Services Australia in 2020, Chris held various roles in the Department of Defence since joining as a graduate in 1994. These included:
- First Assistant Secretary, Infrastructure
- Acting First Assistant Secretary, Strategic Policy
- Acting First Assistant Secretary, International Policy
- Assistant Secretary, Major Powers & Global Issues.
Chris was Counsellor (Strategic Policy) in the Australian Embassy in Washington DC (2007-2010), and Policy Advisor to the Australian national command element deployed in the Middle East (2003).
Chris has a Bachelor of Arts from Griffith University, a Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Wharton Business School (University of Pennsylvania, USA).