Sharon Deano has occupied various leadership positions in the Australian Public Service over the last 20 years. In 2024, she joined the Victorian Public Service as a senior executive and is currently the Director of Compliance & Enforcement, Energy Division at the Essential Services Commission.

She has significant experience in leading compliance and enforcement investigation teams at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission and the Essential Services Commission, Victoria. As an enforcement litigation specialist, she has led several high-profile investigations which have resulted in setting legal precedent and multi-million dollar civil penalties.

In her current role, she advises the commission on setting the strategic direction of the compliance and enforcement functions, including establishing annual compliance and enforcement priorities. She also leads the strategic direction of enforcement investigations and litigated matters.

Her team was recently recognised by the National Regulators Community of Practice Regulator of the Year Awards and were awarded the Innovation in Regulation award for their work on implementing best offer messaging reforms in Victoria.