PROGRAM

Delivering the National Defence Strategy (NDS): A Land Perspective & Breakfast

Date:

Thursday 12 September

Time:

0700 – 0840

Registration:

Allocation Exhausted

Location:

Meeting Room 203, Convention Level 2, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Keynote : Steve Wadey OBE, Group Chief Executive, QinetiQ Group plc

Panel discussion: From innovation to fielded capability

This session will explore the key elements of innovation and capability which encapsulate what the Australian system is wanting from its private sector partners. It will illuminate the value proposition of a coherent approach to critical functions across the spectrum of activity in the innovation and capability management cycle (including testing and evaluation).

Land Forces have been vital in all major conflicts across history. Australian defence strategy now explicitly recognises the importance of a more focused and integrated force, designed for more specific roles such as long-range strike, IAMD, deterrence and support to large scale joint and combined operations within Australia's Primary Military Operating Area and to defend critical infrastructure and key nodes of regional operations.

The government has stressed the urgency of military preparedness, which itself must rest upon a functioning and coherent system of systems that bring in our innovators and entrepreneurs, our small but highly specialised and capable start-ups, military capability managers and prime integrators. The panel will speak to the role of each of these areas in supporting the military effectiveness and capability that Australia seeks to build quickly. It will maintain a focus on the land domain in the context of a multidomain approach.

Panel Moderator: Bec Shrimpton, Director Defence Strategy and National Security, ASPI

Panelists:

Gary Stewart, Chief Executive, Australia Sector Qinetiq Group plc
MAJGEN Anthony Rawlins, Head Force Design, Australian Defence Force
Amanda Holt, CEO of Sypaq
James Tennant, BOKA Holdings, Army Reservist and ASPI Fellow

SPEAKERS

Steve Wadey OBE

Group Chief Executive
QinetiQ Group plc

Steve joined QinetiQ as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in April 2015. QinetiQ is a FTSE 250 defence and technology business with over 8,500 employees globally and an annualSteve joined QinetiQ as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in April 2015. QinetiQ is a FTSE 250 defence and technology business with over 8,500 employees globally and an annual turnover of circa £2bn. QinetiQ’s scientists and engineers enable mission critical capability in both defence and security markets. Following a successful five-year strategic transformation programme, Steve is currently leading the development and implementation of the next phase of transformation to build an integrated global defence and security company over the next five years to serve the needs of the Australia, United Kingdom and United States customers and their allies. The strategy is underpinned by business and cultural change to deliver improved operational performance and sustainable growth.

Previously, Steve was the UK Managing Director and Technical Director of MBDA, a missile systems business with over 10,000 employees in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the United States as well as the United Kingdom. Steve played a central role in transforming the operational performance of MBDA in the UK, developing and implementing the Team Complex Weapons initiative with the UK Customer and fostering European cooperation. From 2013, Steve helped establish the UK Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) as the Industry Co-chair, alongside the Minister for Business and Enterprise.

In the 2015 Queen's birthday honours list, Steve was awarded an OBE for services to the UK Defence Sector. In March 2016, Steve was appointed as Chair of the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) Industry Liaison Board, playing a crucial role in identifying export opportunities and maximising UK export success. In March 2022, Steve was re-appointed as Co-Chair of the DGP, alongside the Minister for Defence Procurement and Minister for Exports, DIT.

Steve is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 2013 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science by Cranfield University.

Steve graduated from Cardiff University with a first class honours degree in Electrical and Electronic engineering and commenced his career with British Aerospace in1989. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

Bec Shrimpton

Director
Defence, Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Bec has more than 20 years’ experience in policy, operational and corporate roles in the Australian Department of Defence and in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Previous roles also include Head of Defence, Space and Infrastructure at Austrade, and Bec was Senior Advisor - Major Powers to the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2019-2020.

Her defence experience includes a posting as Counsellor Defence Strategic Policy in the Australian Embassy in Washington DC from 2015-2017. She led the MH-17, and the Iraq and Syria Task Forces in International Policy Division in Defence in 2014, and held a range of positions in International and Strategic Policy Divisions, VCDF Group and in the Office of the Chief Operating Officer from 2001. In 2008 Bec led the establishment of the Australian Civil-Military Centre and then led a program of work on counterinsurgency and stabilisation operations.

Bec completed the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian War College in 2013 and is a Fellow of the College. She has a Masters of Strategic Studies (with Honours) from the Australian National University and a Masters of Strategic Studies from Deakin University. Bec is an Alumni of the Munich Young Leaders Forum (2015) and a Fellow of the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Program (2017) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.

Advisory Boards: Quad Investor Network, Women in International Security – Australia.

Gary Stewart

Chief Executive
Australia Sector QinetiQ Group plc

Gary Stewart joined QinetiQ in May 2023 as Chief Executive of QinetiQ’s Australia Sector. Gary leads QinetiQ’s global threat representation offering and multi-national Sector, comprising; Australia (including the recent acquisition of Air Affairs), Target Systems (UK and Canada) and Germany. Headquartered in Canberra, the Australia Sector has more than 1,200 employees worldwide.

Before joining QinetiQ, Gary was Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia where he was responsible for strategy and operational delivery in the Asia Pacific region. Gary has a proven track record of transforming and growing businesses, with more than 20 years of experience within the defence industry in the US, Canada, UK, Germany and Australia. He is an engineer and served in the Royal Australian Air Force for 11 years.

Gary has a degree in Electrical Engineering from University of NSW and a Masters of Science, Aerosystems Engineering from Loughborough University.

Major General A.J Rawlins DSC, AM

Head Force Design
Australian Defence Force

MAJGEN Anthony (Tony) Rawlins is currently serving as Head Force Design.

MAJGEN Rawlins has fulfilled a number of staff, training and representational appointments including Divisional Officer at ADFA (1996-1998), Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General (1997-1998), Instructor at Australian (2008) and Canadian Command and Staff Colleges (2009-2010), and Colonel – Plans at Headquarters 1st Division/DJFHQ (2010-2012) and Director General – Military Strategic Commitments (2014 – 2016). His most recent command was as Commander of the 7th Combat Brigade (2016-2018). He served as Deputy Chief of Army from 2019-2021.

Operationally he has served as a military observer on UNTSO (1999) and deployed as the Commanding Officer of Overwatch Battle Group West – 2 (OBG(W)-2) in Iraq from Nov 2006 – Jun 2007. He most recently deployed as the Chief of Joint Operations (CJ3) on Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (HQ ISAF) from Jan – Oct 2014.

MAJGEN Rawlins was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for command of OBG(W)-2 on operations. In 2013 he was awarded a Chief of Army Commendation for his joint amphibious capability development work at HQ 1 Div/DJFHQ (2010-2012), and SEC/CDF Commendation for his work in transferring the Bushmaster into service with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (2018). He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours List.

MAJGEN Rawlins has completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Bachelor of Laws (Honours), and three Masters Degrees in Management, Arts and Defence Studies. In 2011 he was admitted as a Barrister/Solicitor to the ACT Supreme Court.

He and his wife Sarah have a young son, Zachary. His leisure interests include all motorcycling genres, mountain biking, kayaking, and playing music.

Amanda Holt

Chief Executive Officer
SYPAQ Group

With a career spanning across the defence and technology sectors, Amanda brings a wealth of expertise and a deep understanding of innovation and enterprise-level solutions to address some of Defence’s toughest challenges, seeing Amanda recognised as the inaugural Defence Connect Executive of the Year in 2019, and leading SYPAQ to be recognised as the Australian Financial Review’s Most Innovative Company for 2023.

As the Chief Executive Officer of SYPAQ, a leading engineering and systems integration company demonstrating the innovation potential of local defence industry, Amanda has consistently demonstrated her capability to lead and influence complex organisational improvements across technology, plans, and people. Her collaborative approach has consistently delivered effective results, from the boardroom to the battlespace.

Amanda is proud to describe SYPAQ’s contribution to the autonomous systems industry as the renaissance of the Australian Aerospace industry. “Fishermans Bend was the original home of Australian Aerospace, so establishing our advanced manufacturing facility and Defence Autonomy Centre of Excellence here in Port Melbourne pays homage to this important part of Australia’s innovation and industrial heritage”.

Beyond her professional achievements, Amanda remains actively engaged in various professional organisations, and continues to be active in the engineering disciple, as a Fellow and Engineering Executive of Engineers Australia. She is also a valuable member of the RMIT Aerospace Engineering Advisory Board, the Defence Council Victoria, industry co-chair of the Defence Maritime Environmental Working Group (MEWG), and co-chair on the Army’s Land Environment Working Group (LEWG).

Amanda has recently been appointed as Non-Executive Director for PWR Group Holdings and CEA Technologies – two innovative Australian advanced technology businesses.

James Tennant

BOKA Holdings
Army Reservist and ASPI Fellow

James Tennant, currently residing in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is a seasoned investor and corporate leader with deep interests and investments in diverse fields such as Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Space, CyberSec, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Drones, Enterprise Infrastructure, and Autonomous Vehicles. His professional journey, spanning across different continents and industries, uniquely positions him at the intersection of finance, defence, and technology including artificial intelligence.

James is an Partner at BOKA Holdings, a leading AUKUS Investment House in London, Sydney and New York. His key role at BOKA is complemented by his service as an Officer in the Australian Army, where he specialises in Capability Development. He is also a Senior Partner at Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian-based rocket company innovating in the field of low-cost small satellite launch vehicles.

James holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialisation in International Business from the University of Sydney, is a Graduate of Applied Finance at Macquarie University, and holds management courses in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School. He has also completed the Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Hosted by ASPI

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