The Centre for Future Work is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Ben Spies-Butcher as the Centre’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Ben joins the Centre with a wealth of research and policy experience across the university and non-government sectors. He has written two books and dozens of articles and reports on work, inequality, housing and care, and played policy advisory roles for unions, think tanks and advocacy organisations. Most recently Ben was deputy director of the Macquarie University Housing and Urban Research Centre.

Ben says, ‘I am excited to be joining an outstanding research team making a real difference for workers.

‘The future of work should inspire optimism. Workers should know they will have good jobs that respect their skills, fairly reward their efforts and support them to care and contribute to the community. That future is possible and I believe the Centre for Future Work can help make it a reality.’

Jim Stanford, Chair of the Centre for Future Work Board of Directors, says:

‘Ben Spies-Butcher brings a remarkable combination of labour policy expertise and communications talent to this role.

‘I am so excited that the Centre for Future Work will benefit from his leadership, as we embark on our new chapter as an independent research centre.’

The Centre for Future Work became a stand-alone research centre in early 2026, following almost 10 years at the Australia Institute conducting and publishing progressive economic research on work, employment, and labour markets.

Ben will commence as CEO on Monday 11 May 2026.