Customer Science names first Chief Operating Officer

Customer Science has appointed James Johnstone as its first Chief Operating Officer, based in Sydney.

Johnstone joins the customer experience and digital transformation business as it looks beyond Australia after a period of rapid growth in its home market.

He will oversee operations and go-to-market activity, and work with Chief Executive Todd Gorsuch on the company's expansion into the UK and US, which it sees as major opportunities for its advisory and service transformation work.

The appointment creates a new senior executive role as demand for integrated service, AI and digital projects rises. Over the past 24 months, Customer Science has doubled its specialist headcount and expanded its presence across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The company now serves more than 300 clients, is recording annual growth of more than 50 per cent, and works with more than 50 industry partners across Australia.

Industry experience

Johnstone brings more than 20 years of experience across business development, consulting, sales, marketing and account management. He joins from Cisco, where he was an Account Executive focused on large new business opportunities.

Before that, he spent more than nine years at Datacom in a range of customer experience technology and operations roles, including Director, Specialist Sales, Associate Director, Managed Operations Presales, and Head of Project & Commercial Services.

Earlier in his career, he held roles at HPE, Fujitsu and Microsoft. At HPE, he spent more than five years and was Support Manager for technical support contracts in the South Pacific communications and media business.

Growth plans

Johnstone's remit will include turning strategy into client delivery as Customer Science scales. He will work across consulting, technology, people and products.

The company sees the UK and US as attractive markets because both show demand for advisory work in service and experience transformation. It also cited interest in AI and human-centred design as part of the case for expansion.

Gorsuch said the appointment marks the next stage of the company's development.

"It is an exciting time for Customer Science enabled by our historic growth thanks to the market demand for optimising and transforming business customer services," said Todd Gorsuch, Chief Executive, Customer Science.

He said the company wants to scale while maintaining the way it delivers work for clients.

"James Johnstone's appointment will now enable Customer Science to further scale sustainably and safely for our clients. His deep industry knowledge, innovative thinking and solution design will enable our clients to innovate, ensuring they have the best outcomes and ongoing benefits to their enterprises," said Gorsuch.

"At the same time, our model of achieving results and transitioning IP and processes to organisations to lock and sustain benefits is working well. Adopting this model in other markets will enable us to expand these services globally," added Gorsuch.

"Indeed, we've now optimised service delivery for some of Australia's largest institutions, affecting the daily experiences of millions of citizens and customers. Our plans for expanding beyond Australia isn't just growth for growth's sake, it's a response to a market that is hungry for proven, independent expertise in an increasingly complex service tech landscape," he said.

"Our clients see us as an extension of their own leadership, the specialists who ensure that the processes we've built together continue to deliver measurable ROI year after year," added Gorsuch.

Operational role

Johnstone will lead Australian operations while helping shape international expansion. His responsibilities will cover operational management, partnerships and client engagement.

The hire also adds a senior executive with experience across large technology vendors and service providers, spanning sales, service delivery, pricing, financial management and support operations.

Johnstone said he had worked with Customer Science before joining the company.

"My long-standing partnership with Customer Science in my previous companies has shown me the immense value this team provides to Australian public and private sector enterprises," said James Johnstone, Chief Operating Officer, Customer Science.

"I am thrilled to officially join and lead the Australian operations at a time when the intersection of technology and human experience has never been more critical," said Johnstone.

"With over two decades of experience leading complex transformations, I intend to provide our clients with more than just strategy. I'm bringing a blueprint for what's next," added Johnstone.

"My focus is on ensuring our customers don't just survive digital shifts but optimally navigate them to deliver world-class experiences that are both efficient and deeply human," he said.