Dr Simon McKirdy is the Chief Executive Officer for the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity. Simon is a trained plant pathologist and has published widely in the area of plant virology, addressing a range of crops across horticulture, grains, legumes and viticulture.

Dr McKirdy's experience in plant biosecurity includes: development of state based import risk analyses and active review of national import risk analysis, development and implementation of diagnostic capacity for exotic plant pests, both at a state and national level, development and operation of state and national surveillance strategies for exotic plant pests, active participation in responses to incursions of exotic plant pests at both state and national level.

Simon currently represents Australia in plant biosecurity scientific collaboration discussions with the US, Canada and New Zealand and has developed linkages with other international organisations involved in plant biosecurity research. He is currently a member of the Agricultural Scientific Collections Trust of New South Wales.

He has served on the National Plant Health Committee (still maintains observer status on the committee) and held appointments with Plant Health Australia, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

Simon lives in Canberra with his wife, Bernadette, and son, Hamish.