Professor Robert Gorkin appointed Interim Executive Director at SPHERE
Maridulu Budyari Gumal, the Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Robert Gorkin as Interim Executive Director, effective 14th May, 2025. He steps into the role following the resignation of Professor Chris White, bringing with him extensive global experience in health innovation, translational research, and strategic leadership.
Prof Gorkin has built a distinguished international career across academia, industry, and the not-for-profit sector, spanning five continents. He is currently based at the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI) at Western Sydney University, where he serves as Co-Director of Impact, Innovation, and Partnerships. He also holds an Executive role at Eudaemon Technologies, combining academic insight with commercial and strategic acumen.
“As a non-traditional academic, I’ve always operated at the intersection of innovation, strategy, and impact,” said Professor Gorkin.
“SPHERE has a unique opportunity to evolve from a vital catalyst for collaboration to a broader leader in integrated health and economic advancement in our region and ideally as a sandbox for national initiatives.”
With expertise spanning drug development, medical devices, digital health, AI, VR, robotics, and other emerging technologies, Professor Gorkin has played a pivotal role in advancing health solutions from concept to real-world application. In recent years, he has secured over $15 million in funding and led complex initiatives involving multi-disciplinary, multi-organisational teams.
He also brings a deep understanding of the evolving healthcare landscape in NSW.
“Greater Western Sydney faces significant, complex challenges but there is also tremendous opportunity to expand clinical trials, reinforce the health workforce, harness innovation, and strengthen public-private partnerships to better serve our communities,” he said.
“I’m excited to work with the Council and SPHERE’s partners to shape a strategic roadmap that ensures long-term sustainability while delivering meaningful value.”
Professor Gorkin’s leadership is expected to be instrumental in advancing SPHERE’s mission to accelerate the translation of health and medical research for the benefit of all communities.