Leading policy expert to head Centre for Social Impact

Social policy researcher Kristy Muir has been appointed CEO of the Centre for Social Impact. Professor Muir was appointed following an international search and will become the third CEO in the history of CSI, which is based at UNSW's Business School.

She is a leading Australian social policy academic, an elected member of UNSW's Council, and has served as CSI UNSW's research director since early 2015.

Professor Muir has spent her career working closely with government, not-for-profits, corporates and philanthropic organisations to help understand, measure and find innovative solutions to some of society's most intractable, complex social problems.

Centre for Social Impact

CSI was established in 2008 and became a prominent contributor to public debate under the leadership of two CEOs – inaugural CEO, Professor Peter Shergold, and outgoing CEO Dr Andrew Young, who led CSI from 2012.

CSI plays a key role in social impact research and has a strong profile in industry, leading projects including the Australian Charities Report for the ACNC, Giving Australia research in partnership with QUT, and Finding Australia's Social Enterprises (FASES); CSI has collaborations with many government departments, the not-for-profit sector and corporate sector organisations.

Its undergraduate and postgraduate programs have grown exponentially; and new undergraduate and MBA/Masters programs have been launched in the past two years.

Andrew Young has left a strong foundation for the new CEO to take the organisation forward, for his passion, commitment and performance in leading CSI over the past five years.

At UNSW, Professor Muir has held various positions with the Social Policy Research Centre before becoming Associate Dean Research in UNSW Arts and Social Sciences in 2011. She has a PhD in social history and over a d​ecade's experience as a social researcher in disability services. She won the 2013 UNSW Staff Excellence Award for Senior Leadership; is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumna of the Sydney Leadership Program.

She is published widely in policy, sociology, social work, history and public health journals and in broader media; her work has had strong influence on policy and practice across sectors.

Professor Muir will begin as CEO from 3rd January 2017.