The Honourable Pat Conroy MP is the Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Minister for International Development and the Pacific and the Federal Member for Shortland.
Pat was elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Charlton in 2013 and, following an electoral redistribution, as the Member for Shortland in 2016 and again in 2019 and 2022.
From 2016 to 2019, Pat was Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure. In 2019, he was appointed Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Shadow Minister Assisting for Defence and Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change and Energy.
From 2008 to 2013, he was Principal Policy Adviser and then Deputy Chief of Staff to the Hon. Greg Combet, AM, MP, who served as a Minister in the Rudd and Gillard Labor Governments. In these roles, Pat worked in developing significant policies in areas including Defence Materiel, Defence Science and Industry and Innovation.
Born in 1979, Pat was raised on the NSW Central Coast and went on to study Economics at the University of Sydney, graduating with Honours in 2000.
Pat is married with two children and lives in his electorate of Shortland which covers the Eastern Lake Macquarie area and the Northern Central Coast. He enjoys cooking, playing rugby union and watching rugby league.
As Head of the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), Professor Hilder is leading the establishment of a new Defence innovation acceleration entity. ASCA will accelerate the development and transition into service of disruptive solutions to priority defence challenges at the pace and scale required to deliver advantage to our military.
Emily joined Defence in November 2020 as Chief Maritime within Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), and held the role of Chief Platforms from July 2022 to May 2023. Prior to this Emily was the inaugural Director of the Future Industries Institute (FII) and Deputy Director of the ARC Research Hub for Integrated Devices for End-user Analysis at Low levels (IDEAL) at the University of South Australia.
Emily is a graduate of the University of Tasmania, where she completed her PhD in analytical chemistry in 2000. Following postdoctoral positions at Johannes Kepler University (Austria) and the E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA) she returned to Australia and the University of Tasmania in 2004 where she held two ARC Fellowships (APD, Future Fellowship) as well as positions as Assistant Dean of Graduate Research and Head of Chemistry. Emily was the inaugural Director of the ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies. Her research in the field of analytical chemistry and materials science focuses on the design and application of new materials to improve analytical measurements. Her work has led to commercial and field adoption in separation science, bioanalysis, disease diagnosis, environment and food science, defence and national security.
Emily is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). Emily has won awards including the Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia (2019), RACI Doreen Clarke Analytical Medal (2016), UTAS Foundation Graduate Award (2010) and been recognised as one of the top 10 leaders on the Analytical Scientist Power List in 2013-2017, 2019-2021 and 2023, including the ‘Top 40 under 40’ in 2014. She is an Associate Editor of Analytical Chemistry (ACS) and a member of the Advisory Board for the Australian Maritime College (University of Tasmania) and Defence Trailblazer.
As Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro is head of Defence Science and Technology Group and Capability Manager for Innovation, Science and Technology within Defence.
Dan Fankhauser is a defence acquisition specialist, with extensive experience in program management, international cooperation, industry engagement, contracting, export licensing and policy implementation.
As First Assistant Secretary of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Manufacturing Division, Dan is responsible for sponsorship and delivery of domestic missile and munitions production.
As First Assistant Secretary Infrastructure since May 2021, Dan managed the development, construction, leasing, licensing and disposal of the Defence estate – the largest real estate portfolio in the Australian Government. In this capacity, Dan supported an independent audit of the Defence estate in 2023 and the implementation of priorities stemming from the Defence Strategic Review.
Dan has held a range of senior and representational roles within Defence, assisting Australian businesses through the global COVID-19 pandemic and in establishing the early foundations of Australia’s national naval shipbuilding enterprise.
Dan previously held diplomatic accreditation to represent Australia’s acquisition and sustainment interests with the United States and Canada from the Australian Embassy in Washington DC from 2011-16. This coincided with a period of unprecedented growth in Foreign Military Sales and armaments cooperation programs with the United States, as part of the recapitalisation of the Royal Australian Air Force and rapid acquisitions to support operational deployments. During his tenure, Dan established the successful G’Day USA: US- Australian Dialogue on Defence Industries and facilitated significant new export opportunities for Australian industry.
Dan has extensive experience providing strategic advice to Government, including as Senior Capability & Industry Advisor to the Minister for Defence during the development and release of the 2009 Defence White Paper and as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Defence Materiel in 2010-11.
Dan served for more than a decade as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy, qualifying as a mine warfare specialist in 2003. Dan is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) and Master of Management (Governance) from the University of New South Wales.
WGCDR Joyce is an Australian Defence Force Academy graduate with an Honours Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering. WGCDR Joyce has spent the last 18 years in support of the ADF Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) capability including deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, Sub-Program managing all Army and Air Force UAS capability, including Drone Racing, and serving as Chief Engineer for the MQ-4C Triton (now delivered) and MQ-9B SkyGuardian (now cancelled). He is currently the Air Force Fellow embedded within the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
WGCDR Joyce is a Chartered Professional Engineer, holds a Masters in Aviation Management (specialising in Human Factors), a Masters of Aerospace Engineering, a Masters in Military and Defence Studies, a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education (Mathematics) and is researching part time as a Doctorate of Philosophy student through ADFA. He was the 2014 Chief of Army Scholar, is the designate 2025 Sir Richard Williams Fellow and has twice been awarded the Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellowship in 2009 and 2024. For his efforts on JP129 Phase 2, the acquisition of the RQ-7B Shadow 200 Tactical UAS, he was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2012 Australia Day Honours List.
Keirin is married to Rachael, an expert democracy and electoral educator, they have four children, including their son Declan who is serving as an Aircraft Technician in the Royal Australian Navy. He is the President of the ADF Drone Racing Association, Technology Advisor on the Investment Committee of Beaten Zone Venture Partners, and a Director on the Board of the Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems.
Maroun is the Executive Director for Industry and Investment at Investment NSW.
Prior to joining Investment NSW, Maroun worked in the medical technology and financial services industry where he held Senior Executive roles leading teams focused on commercial excellence including the management of key strategic partnerships in public and private health across ANZ. Prior to MedTech, Maroun spent 15 years in Banking and Finance, again leading business development, account management and operations teams in Institutional, Government and Corporate Banking segments.
Andy joined Babcock Australasia in 2019 as Managing Director – Marine, with specific responsibilities for naval surface ship sustainment through Naval Ship Management NSM (ANZAC, LHD and LLC Sustainment).
In 2020, Andy was appointed as Managing Director – Defence (Babcock Australasia) becoming responsible for all strategic Defence business, enabling the company to leverage its global Defence capabilities into local sovereign opportunities. The business grew significantly with HF Communications, Defence equipment asset management and the establishment of Regional Maintenance Provider (West) for the Royal Australian Navy.
Since 2023, Andy has headed up Babcock’s AUKUS activity within the region, leading the drive towards supporting future sovereign needs. In establishing the H&B Defence joint venture with HII, AUKUS Pillar I capability will now be provided through that team, across sustainment, supply chain, infrastructure, workforce and regulation, as well as decommissioning and disposal. This engages Babcock’s operational and nuclear safety experience, gained from 60 years of maintaining the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet. Andy is also responsible for Babcock’s strategic growth across all domains, as well as the specific contribution to AUKUS Pillar II opportunities and technologies.
Prior to joining Babcock, Andy spent four years at UGL as General Manager – Defence. And prior to that, time in shipbuilding during the AWD program and in precision manufacturing supplying critical parts to Defence OEMs.
Andy has experience in multiple regions, having worked 13 years in Europe, four years in Asia, and more than 20 years in Australia. Andy has spent the past 11 years in the Defence industry, during a turbulent period for ship build and repair, as well as other Defence asset lifecycles.
Andy served for 22 years in the Australian Navy which included command of two Collins Class submarines and a three-year exchange posting with the US Navy’s Submarine Force in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for his leadership in command of HMAS SHEEAN in 2006.
Andy retired from the Navy in 2007 and joined ASC where he was responsible for establishing the business improvement capability and managing ASC’s operations in WA, which included maintenance and training for the Collins Class fleet.
After a two-year stint as Chief Executive of Defence SA, Andy commenced as the Managing Director of Saab Australia in November 2017.
Graeme Bick is the Chief Solution Architect of QinetiQ’s Global Test and Evaluation Campaign. He joined QinetiQ in 2021 following a career in the Royal Australian Navy as a Weapons Electrical Engineer Officer. He served at sea including deployments to the Middle East and South East Asia in addition to a range of roles in maritime acquisition and sustainment programs. His final appointment was as Director Integrated Systems within Navy Capability Division.
Since joining QinetiQ Graeme has worked in capability domains spanning Maritime Test and Evaluation, Robotic and Autonomous Systems and Threat Representation. He is a graduate of the Australian War College and holds a BE from the University of NSW, an MMilSt from the Australian National University, an MBA from La Trobe University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.
Based in Canberra, John commenced the role in 2019 where he has since been responsible for establishing and growing Kongsberg's business operations in Australia.
This has included the manufacture and integration of key sub- systems for the NASAMS Ground Based Air Defence capability, the Protected Mobile Fires capability, and the Naval Strike Missile capability, through an Australian production team and a local supply chain. Before joining Kongsberg Defence Australia, John worked in Business Development for Raytheon Australia, Fujitsu Australia and Booz Allen Hamilton. This followed a 13 year career in the Australian Defence Force as an Officer in the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery which included stints in Capability Development Group and the (then) Defence Materiel Organisation.
John is a graduate of both the Cranfield University, having attained a Master of Science (Guided Weapon Systems), and the University of New South Wales where he attained a Master of Management Studies (Project Management) and a Bachelor of Science (Honours Class 1). He was also a qualified Missile Weapons Inspector with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission. John is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mr Nick Gibbs is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at Visionary Machines, in this role he leads the development and commercialisation of the company’s unique 3D spatial sensing technology. His current focus is applying the 3D spatial sensing technology to provide passive surveillance solutions suitable for drone detection. This same technology is also being developed to solve complex robotic and autonomous platform mobility challenges by providing a class leading passive 3D sensing solution.
Nick has 30 years of engineering, program management and executive leadership experience in the Aerospace and Defence Industry, including spending 6 years in the USA with Rockwell Collins. At Collins Aerospace (part of RTX) he has spent the last 20 years leading the development of complex, highly technical products and solutions that have been developed in Australia and fielded with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other military and commercial users.
Peter Stefanovic is an award winning journalist, author, and presenter of the Sky News flagship breakfast news program, First Edition.
Stefanovic was a foreign correspondent for the Nine Network for almost a decade. Based in Los Angeles, and later in London, he covered a turbulent time in history which included wars in the Middle East and Europe, terror attacks, natural disasters, and national elections.
On his return to Australia he was a reporter for 60 Minutes, and a presenter on the Today Show, before moving to Sky.
On top of his daily news show, Stefanovic also films documentaries for Sky. He’s also written a book about his experiences overseas titled ‘Hack in a Flak Jacket.’
Distinguished Professor Saeid Nahavandi is Swinburne University of Technology’s inaugural Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Chief of Defence Innovation. Saeid received a Ph.D. from Durham University, U.K. in 1991. His research interests include autonomous systems, modeling of complex systems, robotics and haptics. He has published over 1300 scientific papers in various international journals and conferences. Professor Nahavandi holds six patents, two of which have resulted in two very successful start-ups. Professor Nahavandi was the recipient of the Clunies Ross Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2022 from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering, Researcher of the Year for Australian Space Awards 2021, Australian Defence Industry Awards - Winner of Innovator of the year, The Essington Lewis Awards, and Australian Engineering Excellence Awards - Professional Engineer of the Year.
Saeid is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (FIEEE), Engineers Australia (FIEAust), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET) and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE). Professor Nahavandi is the Vice President of Human-Machine Systems, IEEE SMCS, Senior Associate Editor of the IEEE Systems Journal, and an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics.
