Catriona Wallace (born 1965/1966) is an Australian businesswoman and former police officer.
She is a specialist in the field of the metaverse, artificial intelligence and the responsible use of technology.
Wallace founded Flamingo AI in 2013 and is also the founder of Responsible Metaverse Alliance which was launched in 2022 to address potential safety and legal issues in the metaverse such as sexual harassment.
In March 2023, Wallace was announced as one of the new "sharks" on Shark Tank on Network 10.
Career
Joining the New South Wales Police Force at the age of 19, she worked as a police officer in Kings Cross and The Rocks during the 1980s.
After four years of service, Wallace left the police to complete an undergraduate degree in sociology as well as a master's degree and a PhD at the University of New South Wales in 2007. Her thesis explored the roles technology plays during interactions between customers and businesses.
Wallace founded Flamingo AI in 2014. In 2016, it became only the second woman-led business listed to the Australian Stock Exchange. The company developed chatbots for companies such as Credit Union Australia, Chubb Limited and AMP Limited. Wallace also held the position of the company's chief executive officer until February 2019 prior to the company offloading its assets and sold to private investors in 2020.
In 2015, Wallace spearheaded a project called The Venture which was believed to be Australia's first co-working space specifically established for female-led start-up businesses under three years old and with less than $1 million in revenue. The companies involved with The Venture were required to have a woman as its founder, co-founder or chief executive officer.
Wallace won the business and entrepreneur category at The Australian Financial Review Women of Influence Awards in 2018.
In 2022, Wallace co-authored Checkmate Humanity: The How and Why of Responsible AI.
Wallace is an executive director at the Gradient Institute, a director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, an adjunct professor of the University of New South Wales' Australian Graduate School of Management, a chair of Boab AI, a co-chair of The B Team and a board member of Reset Australia, among other positions she holds.
She is also a regular contributor to discussions about artificial intelligence.
In March 2023, Wallace was one of four new Australian "sharks" announced for a new series of Shark Tank. Wallace as well as Jane Lu, Sabri Suby and Davie Fogarty, will succeed the original cast of Janine Allis, Andrew Banks, Steve Baxter and Naomi Simson when the program returns later in 2023. American "shark" Robert Herjavec will also join the cast.