We are pleased to announce the appointment of Catriona Jackson as the editor of Pearls and Irritations from 17 March.

Reflecting the rapid growth and influence of Pearls and Irritations since its launch in 2013, Catriona will lead our team, managing all aspects of the editorial process. She will ensure sustainability and growth for the journal as it passes 24,000 subscribers, more than 1000 occasional and regular authors, and an increasingly international readership.

Pearls and Irritations continues to grow rapidly as mainstream media declines.

Catriona brings with her a significant network of leaders from Australia and beyond and will work to diversify our author and reader mix, bringing new voices to Pearls and Irritations.

The appointment of a new editor is also designed to reduce workload for me and transition to stronger long-term arrangements that consolidate the ethos and direction of Pearls and Irritations.

I know Catriona is strongly committed to independent media, and the important place that Pearls and Irritations has in ventilating informed debate about our future, and the role we play in our region and the world.

The appointment of Catriona will also ensure generational change.

Catriona began her career as a journalist and has remained one by instinct and approach across a broad career at the highest levels in government, public policy, science, higher education, advocacy, and strategic communications.

She has been a chief executive, advocate and media professional, with extensive experience of making and influencing public policy. She is known as a highly principled advocate and an outstanding communicator, chair and board member with significant national and international experience.

Most recently, she was chief executive of Universities Australia, the lead advocate for Australia’s university sector. From 2018, through the darkest days of COVID-19, she worked to secure a strong teaching and research system to underpin social and economic prosperity and provide opportunity for all. Before that, she was CEO of the peak body for Australia’s Science and Technology sector, STA, and a senior adviser to Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

She ran communications and external relations at the Australian National University, under then Vice-Chancellor Ian Chubb. A central focus was to elevate the standard of public debate using ANU scholars, during a period of vicious attacks on climate science and scientists.

I will remain as editor-in-chief and write more for Pearls and Irritations.