By Julie McCrossin -
ACCC Commissioner Cristina Cifuentes speaks about her career, and rapid technology change.
With the rapid rate of change in the communications sector and the extensive development of the Internet of Things, some believe we are in the middle of a new industrial revolution. There are plenty of legal and regulatory questions, but few definitive answers. JULIE McCROSSIN speaks to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commissioner Cristina Cifuentes about the strategic questions lawyers need to be asking during this time of change, what prepared her for her role as commissioner, and how intellectual curiosity – a talent she learnt from her Spanish immigrant parents – has underpinned her “zigzag” career.
When Cristina Cifuentes speaks, you want to listen. She speaks with gentle enthusiasm, quiet authority and charming warmth. She also asks questions and listens closely. Most importantly, she speaks from a depth and breadth of professional and life experience. During our conversation in her office at the ACCC, high up in the Sydney CBD skyline, she illustrates her observations with examples from across the economic and social spectrum of the Australian community.
