Zygmunt Edward "Ziggy" Switkowski, (born 1948), is a Polish Australian business executive and nuclear physicist. His most public role was as the chief executive officer of Australia's largest telecommunications company Telstra from 1999 to 2004. During his tenure, he oversaw the privatisation of the then government-owned corporation through a series of public tranche sales (known as the T1, T2 and T3 sales). Currently, he is the chairman of both NBN Co and Suncorp, a director of Healthscope, Oil Search and Tabcorp and the Chancellor of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University). Early life Switkowski was born in Germany in 1948 to Polish parents. His family migrated to Australia when he was one year old and settled in Melbourne. He attended St Bernard's College in Essendon (a suburb of Melbourne), and earned a bachelor's degree in science and a doctorate in nuclear physics (at 24 years old) from the University of Melbourne. He then completed six years of postdoctoral research following his doctorate. Career Communications Before his tenure at Telstra, Switkowski was chief executive officer of Australia's second largest telecommunications company Optus and the photographic equipment company Kodak (Australasia). He also served as chairman and managing director of Kodak (Australasia) from 1992 to 1996. During this time, he served as a non-executive director of the multinational packaging company Amcor from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, Switkowski received the Advance Australia Award for outstanding achievement in industry and commerce. Telstra On 1 March 1999, Switkowski was appointed chief executive officer of Australia's public and largest telecommunications company Telstra, and to the board of directors of Telstra's pay television partner Foxtel. Before his appointment, he was group managing director of Telstra's Business and International Development division. During his tenure at Telstra, Switkowski oversaw the introduction of a number of services to the company; such as its major internet service provider subsidiary BigPond, and substantial expansion of others; such as its advertising and directories subsidiary Pacific Access (later re-branded as Sensis in 2002). Switkowski oversaw the implementation of the second tranche sale of Telstra (the 'T2' sale) on the Australian Stock Exchange, New Zealand Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange that began in September 1999. The first tranche sale of Telstra (the 'T1' sale) took place before Switkowski was appointed CEO of Telstra. He also oversaw the planning for the third tranche sale of Telstra (the 'T3' sale). Switkowski resigned from