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Dr. Bruno Sorrentino became Director of Research in August 1993 after Ray Liggett left the company. On 29th October 1993, Bruno resigned after Labs staff raised suspicions about his qualifications. He had completed only 5 weeks in his new position. Reproduced below is the official Telecom press release introducing Bruno and some newspaper quotes. |
Official Telecom Press Release
Dr Bruno Sorrentino joins Telecom with 30 years experience in research and information technology.
Born in Verona, Italy, Dr Sorrentino is a naturalised Australian, whose education spans Italian, US and UK tertiary institutions.
He holds a BSc from the University of Padua, Italy, an MA in applied mathematics from the Ferni Institute at the University of Chicago and a PhD in Physics from the Imperial College, London.
Having worked as a research scientist for Texaco in the early 1960s, Dr Sorrentino moved into information technology with the Midland bank as Operations Manager in the mid-1960s.
He left Midland to take up a position as data processing manager with IBM (UK), and as senior project manager for Swift. he returned to the Midland Bank in 1979 as Chief Manger, Retail Banking and Chief Manager, Clearing Systems.
Dr Sorrentino came to Australia as Chief Manager of Business Systems for Associated Midland in 1985. He returned to the UK in 1987 as Group Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, before taking up the position of Director of Marketing for Unisys in Sydney.
From 1989 he has been Group General Manager, Technology Ltd and Chief Information Officer for the ANZ Bank.
He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Bankers, UK, a Council member for the Victoria University of Technology and the Australian Payments System Council, and is Chairman of Index Computing.
Newspaper Quotes
"Who's
running the company?" (Financial
Review - 3/12/1993)
When Bruno
Sorrentino migrated from Britain to Australia six years ago, he left behind a
25-year career as a middle-manager in Midland Bank's computer division. En route
to Australia, he adopted the title of "Dr" and took on a new persona
which was to open up a new phase of his career.
Within six months he had been appointed to the ANZ Bank as its general manager, information techonlogy, and chief information officer, commanding a salary package of up to $250,000. Later he established a Melbourne based consultancy whose client list included the retail giant Coles Myer.
Then came the coup de grace. In September this year (1993) Telecom appointed "Dr" Sorrentino to a new senior position as head of the information technology group and the company's research laboratories. ...Less than five weeks later Sorrentino was out of a job.
In the middle of a trip to the US, Sorrentino was called back to Australia by Telecom's ...Doug Campbell, and asked to substantiate his academic qualifications. Two days later he resigned for "personal reasons".
The "Dr" Sorrentino myth had been shattered by a small group of scientists in the Telecom Research Laboratories. Curious to read the thesis of their new highly flamboyant boss, their search revealed Sorrentino had never completed a PhD at London's Imperial College, as he had claimed. In fact he had never even attended the university.
"Telecom's
computer chief quits suddenly" (The
Age - 29/10/1993)
....When asked to
comment yesterday afternoon, Dr Sorrentino said: "I've got to tell you what
you are suggesting is is really defamatory. My qualifications are impeccable and
they stand, and I will be very happy for you or anybody else qualified to look at
my qualifications."
Dr Sorrentino referred "The Age" to his solicitor, Mr Joseph D'Abaco, of Phillips Fox, who he said "would provide whatever evidence is necessary to satisfy you".
Last night Mr D'Abaco arranged a conference at "The Age" with Dr Sorrentino, but he declined to answer a series of questions...
Last updated: Sept 2003