SEEK CIO quits to return home

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The chief information officer of SEEK has resigned and will leave the company to return to his home country of Kenya in mid-July this year, the online employment site revealed today.

Carey Eaton (pictured) was appointed CIO of SEEK in October 2008, following the departure of long-time SEEK CIO Tam Vu in July that year. He had previously been a product director with the company.

“Carey Eaton will return to his home country of Kenya with plans to pursue personal business opportunities,” the company said in a statement this afternoon. “An executive search has already commenced to secure a replacement CIO for SEEK.”

SEEK chief executive Andrew Bassat thanked Eaton for his contribution to the company over the past four years of his employment, stating that his “excellent management of the technology function since 2008 has ensured that it is in great shape and well placed for a smooth transition.”

Eaton will leave SEEK with more than a pretty penny in his pockets. In the year to 30 June 2010, the executive picked up a total of $476,182 in benefits, composed of $270,000 worth of salary and the rest in bonuses, superannuation and shares. The year previously he made $308,103 — although he only joined the company partway through the year, in September 2008.

The salary likely made Eaton one of Australia’s better-paid chief information officers. It is common for public sector CIOs to earn up to $200k annually, although top technology executives at major private corporations such as Australia’s largest banks pick up much more — up to several million.

Eaton joined SEEK as a product director in 2007 after working at News Limited’s CareerOne site, as well as managing regional internet strategy for recruiter Michael Page.

Image credit: SEEK

1 COMMENT

  1. You’d think Seek would have a new CIO in seconds? Oh wait, internet job ads is actually smoke and mirrors? Noo…

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