Adrian Di Marco
{{short description|Australian entrepreneur and businessman|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Adrian Di Marco
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|OAM}}
| image = Adrian_Di_Marco_-_Photo.jpg
| caption = Adrian Di Marco – Executive chairman TechnologyOne
| nationality = Australian
| occupation = Executive chairman of TechnologyOne
| known_for = Founder of TechnologyOne
| years_active = 1987{{ndash}}present
}}
Adrian Di Marco (born 1958) is an Australian entrepreneur and businessman. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of TechnologyOne, Australia's largest enterprise software company.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006132946/http://www.brw.com.au/p/entrepreneurs/tax_credits_are_wasted_technologyone_p5QFDMg2S4LnUW439mszAL | archivedate=6 October 2015 | url=http://www.brw.com.au/p/entrepreneurs/tax_credits_are_wasted_technologyone_p5QFDMg2S4LnUW439mszAL | title=R&D tax credits are 'wasted': TechnologyOne founder | work=BRW | date=5 October 2015 | accessdate=29 June 2021 }}{{Cite news |last=Swan |first=Georgina |date=2010-04-29 |title=Aussie entrepreneur: Adrian Di Marco |language=en |pages=153 |work=Computerworld |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3480844/aussie-entrepreneur-adrian-di-marco.html |access-date=2022-03-22}}{{Cite news |last=Pennington |first=Sylvia |date=25 August 1998 |title=The world according to Adrian Di Marco |pages=56 |work=The Australian}}
Early life and career
Di Marco was born in Brisbane in 1958, the child of Italian immigrants.{{cite news |last1=Durie |first1=John |title=Perseverance the key to success |work=The Australian |date=9 August 2019 |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/perserverance-the-key-to-success/news-story/10a0222008b8b038a1ff367b84fbb579 |access-date=3 February 2022}} He attended St James College in Brisbane.{{cite news |last1=Kitney |first1=Damon |title=Learning the 'Fosbury flop' taught boss to aim higher |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/leadership/learning-the-fosbury-flop-taught-boss-to-aim-higher/news-story/3422941b63077dff86e03a6dfa29cbbb |access-date=2 February 2022 |work=The Australian |date=27 April 2019 |language=en-AU}}
He became interested in IT after helping his brother, who was studying engineering at university, to program one of the first digital computers. After high school, Di Marco completed a science degree at the University of Queensland,{{cite news |last1=Chanthadavong |first1=Aimee |title=The dos and don'ts: Adrian Di Marco's lessons to success |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-dos-and-donts-adrian-di-marcos-lessons-to-success/ |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=ZDNet |date=29 March 2015 |language=en}} majoring in computer science. Early in his career, he worked at Arthur Andersen (now Accenture).
TechnologyOne CEO
Di Marco founded TechnologyOne from inside a demountable office in the car park at JL Mactaggart Industries' hide processing plant in Hemmant, Brisbane, in 1987.{{Cite news |last=Philipson |first=Graeme |date=6 July 1998 |title=A true local success story |pages=2 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}{{Cite news |last=Passmore |first=Daryl |date=22 July 2007 |title=Adrian Di Marco |pages=T15 |work=The Sunday Mail}}{{cite web |title=TechnologyOne CEO Adrian Di Marco prepares to pass the baton |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=18 January 2016 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/technologyone-ceo-adrian-di-marco-prepares-to-pass-the-baton-20160114-gm6dmt.html |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |last1=Redrup |first1=Yolanda }} The company initially received with a small amount of capital{{cite news |last1=Chanthadavong |first1=Aimee |title=The dos and don'ts: Adrian Di Marco's lessons to success |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-dos-and-donts-adrian-di-marcos-lessons-to-success/ |work=ZDNet |date=30 March 2015 |language=en}} from JL Mactaggart Industries.{{cite news |last1=Adhikari |first1=Supratim |title=TechnologyOne's winning formula |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator/technologyones-winning-formula/news-story/d0927621d83d8b191c21f5d10e58fbb6 |work=The Australian |date=2012-05-22}}
The company began providing financial software,{{cite news |last1=Bryant |first1=Gale |title='Technological cringe' leaves industry at a loss, says IT boss |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/technological-cringe-leaves-industry-at-a-loss-says-it-boss-19980720-kb3ou |work=Australian Financial Review |date=20 July 1998 |language=en}} building its products around relational databases.{{cite news |last1=Swan |first1=David |title=TechnologyOne posts record profit |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator/technologyone-posts-record-profit/news-story/dcf0ef9135e65a83ef54b0ec956aa737 |work=The Australian |date=25 November 2014}} It has since developed enterprise resource planning software{{cite news |last1=Barbaschow |first1=Asha |title=TechnologyOne profit steady at AU$58.5m as SaaS customers reach 435 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/technologyone-profit-steady-at-au58-5m-as-saas-customers-reach-435/ |access-date=3 February 2022 |work=ZDNet |date=18 November 2019 |language=en}} for sectors including local government, universities,{{cite news |last1=Adhikari |first1=Supratim |title=TechnologyOne half-year profit setting a good pace, says CEO Ed Chung |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/technologyone-halfyear-profit-setting-a-good-pace-says-ceo-ed-chung/news-story/05cf5794d65080cd1422c3e0b41e1d48 |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=The Australian |date=21 May 2019}} and hospitals.{{cite news |last1=Foreshew |first1=Jennifer |title=TechnologyOne braces for new competition |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator/technologyone-braces-for-new-competition/news-story/d6335dfda03360e6e3c01a5be54c7747 |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=The Australian |date=21 July 2015}}
In 1998, when Oracle launched a competitor product and revoked TechnologyOne’s licenses, Di Marco made the company’s products database independent, building its own sales, marketing, and implementation divisions.{{cite news |last1=Redrup |first1=Yolanda |title=TechnologyOne CEO Adrian Di Marco steps down after 30 years |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/technologyone-ceo-adrian-di-marco-steps-down-after-30-years-20170328-gv89wh |work=Australian Financial Review |date=2017-03-28 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Connors |first1=Emma |title=Reboot |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/reboot-20061110-jej3v |work=Australian Financial Review |date=2006-11-10 |language=en}} In December 1999, Di Marco led the company into its listing on the ASX making it one of the most successful floats of the DotCom era.{{cite news |last1=Whyte |first1=Jemima |title=Why Technology One's Adrian Di Marco will not list on the ASX again? |url=https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/management/why-technology-ones-adrian-di-marco-will-not-list-on-the-asx-again-20160302-gn8pm8 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=2016-03-02 |language=en}} In 2001, he was appointed chairman of TechnologyOne.{{Cite news |date=8 January 2001 |title=Brisbane-based software development firm Technology One has appointed its founder and chief executive Adrian Di Marco to the additional role of chairman |pages=14 |work=The Courier-Mail}}
Di Marco was member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was Deputy Chair of the Australian Information Industry Association from 2002 to 2004.{{cite web |title=About us |url=http://aicd.companydirectors.com.au/about |website=aicd.companydirectors.com.au}} He was the Director of the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation Board from 2004 to 2012.{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2012/5412T695.pdf|title= The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation Annual Report 2012 |author=The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation|access-date=2019-09-24}}
In 2004 Di Marco won the Pearcey Award for innovative and pioneering achievement and contribution to research and development in IT.[https://pearcey.org.au/2004-qld-award/ Pearcey Awards 2004] He was awarded Fellow of the Australian Computer Society in 2010.[https://www.acs.org.au/professionalrecognition/hall-of-fame/Fellows20092010.html ACS Fellows 2009-2010] When he stepped down as CEO in May 2017, Di Marco was one of the longest-serving chief executives of an ASX-listed company.{{cite news |last1=Adhikari |first1=Supratim |title=TechOne clears the cloud with message of simplicity |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/techones-adrian-di-marco-has-simple-message-from-cloud/news-story/e08dd6c6ce7b5d2fcbfbbd168acc06cd |access-date=3 February 2022 |work=The Australian |date=18 October 2016}}
As CEO, Di Marco established the philanthropic TechnologyOne Foundation,{{cite news |last1=Dinham |first1=Peter |title=TechnologyOne Foundation sets ambitious goal for 2018 |url=https://itwire.com/strategy/technologyone-foundation-sets-ambitious-goal-for-2018.html |access-date=15 February 2022 |work=iTWire |date=9 January 2018 |language=en-gb}} which has made donations to Opportunity International Australia,{{cite news |last1=Dinham |first1=Peter |title=TechnologyOne partners with Opportunity International to help children out of poverty |url=https://www.itwire.com/it-people-news/not-for-profit/technologyone-partners-with-opportunity-international%e2%80%99to-help-children-out-of-poverty.html |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=iTWire |date=5 September 2018 |language=en-gb}} the School of St Jude in Tanzania, The Fred Hollows Foundation, and others.{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Ben |title=TechnologyOne donates $620K, delivering on Pledge 1% |url=https://itbrief.com.au/story/technologyone-donates-620k-delivering-on-pledge-1 |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=IT Brief Australia |date=22 October 2019 |language=en}} He also advocated against a business model run by professional managers, which caused the company difficulties in the early 2000s.{{cite news |last1=Redrup |first1=Yolanda |title=TechnologyOne CEO Adrian Di Marco steps down after 30 years |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/technologyone-ceo-adrian-di-marco-steps-down-after-30-years-20170328-gv89wh |access-date=2 February 2022 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=28 March 2017 |language=en}} He has argued that a focus on corporate governance weakens companies and that subject matter experts are more important to have on a board than independent directors.{{cite news |last1=Kitney |first1=Damon |title=Tech boards must find right 'risk and creativity' balance |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/tech-boards-must-find-right-risk-and-creativity-balance/news-story/fe370e0e4a0b2cc16fa12136e5e67b57 |work=The Australian |date=15 December 2019}}
Post-CEO
In May 2017, Di Marco stepped down as CEO from the company but remained its Executive Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer.{{cite news |last=Redrup |first=Yolanda |date=2017-05-29 |title=Accounting software start-up Practice Ignition raises $5m from Right Click and Microequities |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/accounting-software-startup-practice-ignition-raises-5m-from-right-click-and-microequities-20170525-gwcpf2 |work=Australian Financial Review |access-date=2019-07-08}}{{cite news|last1=McLean|first1=Asha|title=TechnologyOne CEO and founder hands reins to current COO|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/technologyone-ceo-and-founder-hands-reins-to-current-coo/|publisher=ZDNet|date=7 April 2017}} As of 2019, Di Marco’s 8.6 per cent stake in the company was worth more than $240m, and with his other investments in property, his net worth is reportedly more than $300m.{{cite news |last1=Damon |first1=Kitney |title=Tech boards must find right 'risk and creativity' balance |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/tech-boards-must-find-right-risk-and-creativity-balance/news-story/fe370e0e4a0b2cc16fa12136e5e67b57 |work=The Australian |date=15 December 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Kitney |first1=Damon |title=Learning the 'Frosby Flop' taught boss to aim higher|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/leadership/learning-the-fosbury-flop-taught-boss-to-aim-higher/news-story/3422941b63077dff86e03a6dfa29cbbb |work=The Australian |date=27 April 2019}}
In 2017, Di Marco invested in accounting software start-up Practice Ignition. In 2018, Di Marco made a $3.2 million investment in sports tech firm Fusion Sport.{{cite news |last=Redrup |first=Yolanda |date=2018-11-05 |title=Tech player Fusion Sport jumps to life with TechOne founder funding |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/tech-player-fusion-sport-jumps-to-life-with-techone-founder-funding-20181025-h1739k |work=Australian Financial Review |access-date=2019-07-08}} In 2019, Di Marco made a $500,000 investment with Snackwise.{{cite news |last=Bailey |first=Michael |date=2019-03-18 |title=TechnologyOne founder Adrian Di Marco's 10-year start-up horizon |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/technologyone-founder-adrian-di-marcos-10year-startup-horizon-20190311-h1c8mr |work=Australian Financial Review |access-date=2019-07-08}}
Di Marco is a founding member of Software Queensland, a group promoting the Queensland software industry.{{cite news |last1=Hurst |first1=Daniel |title=Emmy winners the brightest in Brisbane |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/emmy-winners-the-brightest-in-brisbane-20091008-gouo.html |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 October 2009 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Howarth |first1=Brad |title=Australia's 10 most influential people in tech |url=https://www.smartcompany.com.au/technology/emerging-technology/australia-s-10-most-influential-people-in-tech/ |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=SmartCompany |date=28 September 2015}} In February 2022, he announced he would be stepping down as TechnologyOne's executive chairman after 35 years with the company,{{cite news |last1=Redrup |first1=Yolanda |title=TechnologyOne's Adrian Di Marco steps down after 35 years |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/technologyone-s-adrian-di-marco-steps-down-after-35-years-20220223-p59z1e |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=23 February 2022 |language=en}} with his resignation effective on 30 June.{{cite news |title=TechnologyOne founder Adrian Di Marco to depart as chairman |url=https://www.crn.com.au/news/technologyone-founder-adrian-di-marco-to-depart-as-chairman-576430 |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=CRN Australia |date=23 February 2022}}
Di Marco was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2025 Australia Day Honours for "service to information technology, and to the community".{{Cite web |title=Mr Adrian Guido DI MARCO |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/3044870 |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=Australian Honours Search Facility}}