Russell is an experienced board member, business advisor, science commercialisation investor/advisor. 

He graduated with BSc and mid-way through a law degree from University of Melbourne joined IBM in 1978. His seven years at IBM covered technology, management and marketing which stood him in good stead to found He left IBM to create his first company, Decision Engineers, in 1985. He founded or helped found three companies, Applied Learning (merged with Decision Engineers), Acumen and then Acumentum. Since selling Acumentum in 2007 he has spent his time investing, chairing and being a board member of ASX listed companies as well as several private companies all with a special focus on IT or science commercialisation.

Russell has chaired two ASX listed companies Powerhouse Ventures Limited (listed science commercialisation investor 2017-2021) and Tesserent Limited (Cyber Security 2015-2018). He has been a professional non-executive director for many companies mainly in the science and technology sector; Board Member Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) Limited 2018-2023, Board member of Alannah and Madeline Foundation from 2016, Board member Cooperative Research Australia from 2024, Wunderman 2012-2017, Bienalto 2012-2017, NICTA 2014-2016, Victorian Government Purchasing Board 2014-2021, BoardOutlook 2017-2020, Folk 2014-2016, Alcidion 2012-2015, George Patterson Y&R 2014-2015, Film Victoria 1993-1996, Ferronova 2019-2021.