V/Line names Di Newell CIO after four-year Brockwell tenure

Di Newell has become V/Line’s chief information officer, replacing Stuart Brockwell, who left in June after four years in the post.

Newell announced the move in a brief LinkedIn post, while V/Line’s spokesperson declined an iTnews request for comment, citing internal policy; iTnews also contacted a Bendigo Health spokesperson, but the report gives no response.

What experience does Newell bring?

Newell was most recently chief digital services officer at Bendigo Health. Her earlier career includes roles at ANZ Banking Group and CBA. The source gives no dates, titles or achievements for either banking position.

That background spans healthcare, banking and regional public transport. V/Line is the regional public transport operator in Victoria. The appointment announcement supplies no start date, contract terms, reporting line, technology budget or succession plan.

Her arrival changes the technology leadership, but the disclosure does not establish a change of operating model, identify retained senior staff or explain how her digital-services mandate will translate into the operator’s environment.

What did Brockwell deliver?

Brockwell described his tenure on LinkedIn: “Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of leading the technology function at V/Line,” he wrote.

He added: “During this time, I’ve been fortunate to work with and lead an exceptional group of people, and together we delivered meaningful improvements across technology, governance and cyber resilience.”

That quote states the main achievement claim, but it does not quantify it. The report names no projects, spending, service-availability gains, cyber incident reductions, audit outcomes or before-and-after measures available from the public record.

Four years, or roughly 48 months, is the only tenure measure provided. Brockwell also credited an unnamed team. No individual contributors, delivery timetable or independent assurance appears in the information reviewed.

Who led technology during the gap?

iTnews could not establish who acted in the CIO role between Brockwell’s departure and Newell’s appointment. V/Line’s refusal to comment leaves interim authority and day-to-day technology accountability outside the disclosed record.

Brockwell named three areas of improvement—technology, governance and cyber resilience—yet the source does not identify who maintained oversight during the vacancy between appointments.

Continuity therefore remains unproven on the disclosed record. The record confirms a handover, but not interim authority or mandate changes.

What does the appointment disclose?

The confirmed record consists of five practical points:

• Current leadership: Di Newell is V/Line’s CIO, confirmed through a brief LinkedIn post.
• Immediate prior role: Chief digital services officer at Bendigo Health.
• Earlier experience: Roles at ANZ Banking Group and CBA, without disclosed dates or titles.
• Outgoing tenure: Stuart Brockwell led the technology function for four years before leaving in June.
• Interim period: iTnews could not determine who acted as CIO between the two permanent appointments.

The key facts carry dates or durations where available, while the source supplies none for Newell’s banking roles. Even so, those details do not reveal the scale of the technology operation or its cost: the source provides no technology headcount, application count, infrastructure footprint, project pipeline or budget figure.

That silence prevents a reliable comparison with the prior four-year period. It also leaves Newell’s first priorities, success measures and reporting cadence unstated. No modernization target or service standard accompanies the handover.

Who is accountable now?

Newell holds the named CIO position. Brockwell has left. The public record identifies no interim CIO or delegated authority for technology, governance and cyber resilience.

V/Line has not disclosed how it will measure Brockwell’s gains or what results Newell must deliver.

Until those details emerge, the appointment confirms a leadership change, not an operational improvement, while Brockwell’s unquantified gains and Newell’s unstated priorities remain separate, unconnected management claims.