After 31 years of experience with the ADF, Brigadier Mark Patch departed Defence after serving as Director General Multi-role Helicopter. Since then, he has developed and delivered training in project management, contract management, procurement and systems engineering for a number of private and government clients, including Australian Institute of Management, Ergon Energy, BHP Billiton and Brisbane City Council. He is also an adjunct Lecturer in the Masters of Project Management Program, School of Business, University of Southern Queensland.
Brigadier Patch has continued to contribute to Defence aviation since leaving active service. He initiated and led a strategic change management process to address inefficiencies in flying training. The implementation of innovative organisational restructuring, outsourcing and HR practices doubled training output within 12 months with a 10% increase in staff (all outsourced contractors) and less than a 5% increase in budget.
Career History
- Principal Consultant, Jeanmar Pty Limited
- Senior Consultant Gibsons JBS, Brisbane
- Director General Multi Role Helicopter, DMO
- Director General Army Aviation Systems, DMO
- Director General Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Branch, DMO
- Acting Director General, Navy & Army Aviation Systems Branch, DMO
Awards and Qualifications
- Certified Practising Project Director, Australian Institute of Project Management
- Accredited RegPM Assessor, Australian Institute of Project Management
- Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training
- Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Australian Institute of Management Member (AIMM)
- MBA (Project Management), University of Southern Queensland
Dr Alan Theobald has joined the AADI Defence Team as an Associate.
Dr Theobald was born in England and holds a Ph.D in Atmospheric Physics from Southampton University. Starting his Defence career at the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment in the UK, he worked on magnetic and electric signature analysis and modelling and degaussing algorithms. This work led to the current generation of significantly simpler magnetic ranges compared to what were available hitherto. In 1990 he emigrated to Australia, where he became the laboratory manager for DSTO in Sydney, with research management responsibility covering all of DSTO’s program in Shallow Water, or Littoral, operations. These topics included mine threat assessment, underwater ranges, mine hunting sonar, operational modelling and concepts, mine sweeping technology, underwater environmental characterization, non-acoustic sensor systems and maritime security. He was the Chair of the The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) Mine Warfare Panel for eight years and represented Australia at NATO on this subject. He was also the Science and Technology Adviser for SEA 1180, the Offshore Combatant Vessel project. Dr Theobald has numerous contacts within Australia and overseas in the broad area of research into maritime, especially littoral, operations and is internationally acknowledged as an expert on maritime electromagnetics. He has published more than 40 technical reports on the subject of his research, has three international patents related to magnetic signature work and has presented at numerous conferences and training fora.
Career History
- Chair of the TTCP Mine Warfare Panel
- Laboratory manager for DSTO in Sydney
- Research Leader for Shallow Water, or Littoral operations
- Science and Technology Adviser for SEA 1180, Aust DoD
Awards and Qualifications
- Ph.D in Atmospheric Physics, Southampton University
- Holds 3 international patents related to magnetic signature work
Admiral (Retd.) Chris Barrie, AC has joined the AADI Defence team as an Associate.
Chris Barrie retired from over 41 years of active service in the RAN, and as the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF), in July 2002. Since then Chris has concentrated his work on strategic leadership issues with involvement each year in Oxford University’s Strategic Leadership and Stimulus Forum Programs, The Australian Davos Connection’s Future Summit Program, the Young Strategic Leaders Forum in Australia, and teaching an elective on Strategic Leadership to senior U.S. military officers at the National Defense University in Washington DC. This work is intended to assist the next generation of leaders of complex and diverse organisations to be successful.
In addition he has been working to promote the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Leaders Circle, and institution building throughout the region through the Australian Crime Prevention Council. He is also very interested in the quality of leadership and decision making by people who work in complex risk environments as Patron of the Australian Risk policy Institute and through Critical Decisions Pty Ltd.
As CDF, he directed and commanded the operation to secure East Timor in 1999-2000, and the provision of specialised defence security support for the Sydney Olympic Games (2000) and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Coolum (2002). He also advised the Government about specific roles for Australia’s armed forces in support of coalition forces in Afghanistan and elsewhere after the 9/11 tragedy and the invocation of assistance to the U.S. Government offered by the Australian Government under the ANZUS Treaty.
Career History
- Chief of Defence Force (CDF)
- Vice Chief of Defence Force (VCDF)
- Distinguished Visiting Professor, National Defense University, Washington DC
- Visiting Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University, Canberra
- Moderator, Oxford Strategic Leadership Program Stimulus Forum, University of Oxford
- Patron, Australian Risk Policy Institute
- President, Australian Crime Prevention Council
- Chairman, Global Sports Science Ltd
- Principal, Critical Decisions Pty Ltd
Awards and Qualifications
- Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)
- Australian Active Service Medal
- General Service Medal
- Vietnam Medal
- Australian Service Medal
- Centenary Medal (Australia)
- Defence Force Service Medal with Federation Star
Peter Roland has joined the AADI Defence team as an Associate.
Peter has been involved in the international business of high technology development and commercialisation for over 30 years in both defence and aerospace markets, as well as commercial medical equipment. He offers extensive experience in business development, sales, marketing, corporate strategic planning and in mergers and acquisitions in these industries. He has also spent the last six years managing business operations in Asia. He has experience working for large multi-national corporations as well as small, technology growth companies and has been the CEO of a public listed company. Peter has been involved in bidding and winning many major projects in the Australian defence industry for over 20 years and has been an avid contributor to the development of Australian defence industry and industry policy.
Career History
- Vice President, Asia Pacific Operations; Biolase Technology Inc, Irvine, California, USA
- General Manager, Business Development; Australian Submarine Corporation, Adelaide
- Managing Director; Ellex Medical Lasers, Adelaide
- Chief Executive; Invest South Australia, Adelaide
- Director, Business Development; British Aerospace Australia, Adelaide
- General Manager, Engineering Division Fairey Australasia, Adelaide
- Project & Production Manager, Ferranti Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland
Professor Graham Clark has joined the AADI Defence team as an Associate.
As the Innovation Professor, Aeronautical Design, at RMIT University in Melbourne, Graham leads research into the degradation of aircraft components, repair, life extension and crashworthiness. He has served as the Australian National Delegate to the International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue, as the National Leader of the Materials Performance in Systems panel of The Technical Cooperation Program, and on numerous structural review teams/panel. He has written over 250 publications in the structural integrity area, and has received numerous ‘best paper’ awards.
Prior to joining RMIT, Prof. Clark was Research Leader, Structural Integrity at DSTO Melbourne. He was responsible for leading basic research on aircraft structures, including full-scale testing, and providing program support to the Australian Defence Force. This included responsibility for providing DSTO’s advice to the Australian Defence Force on all fleet aircraft life and structural integrity issues. During his career at DSTO he held key roles in DSTO's efforts in support of the ADF, including assessing aircraft structural and materials defects, failures and deterioration, providing support for defect assessment, NDE and major full-scale fatigue tests. He also led DSTO's Accident Investigations Team over a period in which some 50 accidents and incidents were investigated, including several very demanding investigations which identified major issues with fleet airworthiness and led to extensive research programs for fleet recovery.
He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia.
Graham’s lifetime of achievement in aviation engineering has been recognised in many ways:
- John W Lincoln Medal (awarded by USAir Force
- Plantema Memorial award (International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue)
- Air Vice Marshal Dietz Medallion for Outstanding Quality of Advice to RAAF (RAAF)
- Director's Award for Outstanding Research, DSTO Materials Research Laboratories (DSTO)
- DSTO Achievement Award for Outstanding Science & Technology (DSTO)
- Achievement Award, The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP)
- Chief Defence Scientist’s Award for Excellent Science and Professional Judgement in support of HMAS Collins (ADF)
- Award for Best Technical Advice to Australian Defence Force (ADF)
Dr Nick Jans has joined the AADI Defence team as an Associate.
Nick Jans began his career in industry after 25 years in the Australian Army, where he worked in field artillery, training, internal consultancy and personnel policy development. Since that time he has consulted to a wide variety of public, private and military organisations in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, including the Australian Tax Office, Australian Customs Service, Australia Post, Defence, ASIO, Victoria Police, the US Navy, NAB and Schlumberger Wireline & Testing.
In addition to his new role as an Associate of AADI Defence, Nick is a principal of Sigma Consultancy, and Visiting Fellow, Leadership and Military Sociology, Centre for Defence Leadership & Ethics, Australian Defence College.
Previous positions held by Nick include Director of Employee Research (Asia-Pacific), Towers Perrin, and Senior Lecturer in Management, University of Canberra.
Nick has a Ph.D. in Organisational Behaviour from the University of South Australia.
He is a Member of the Order of Australia, for service to national security and defence capability.
To see an up-to-date list of our Principals and Associates, visit our website here.
Dr Richard Hodge has become an Associate of AADI Defence Pty Ltd.
Some highlights of Dr Hodge’s career are:
Director CAE Professional Services (2007-10)
Developed the future ‘Battlespace Architecture’ for Defence to instantiate a framework for interoperability across the Services and with its coalition partners, demonstrating how the architecture uses simulation to evaluate capability development options for improved network-enabled outcomes from Defence’s 10-year, $60B capital program.
Senior Associate, Booz and Company (Australia), Canberra (2001-07)
Founding member of the management team, establishing global strategy and technology business in the Defence and national security sector - the first time for such an office outside of the US.
Opened new line of business in strategic security and critical infrastructure protection by building new networks at the executive and political levels in Federal and selected State governments and with industry leaders.
Scientific Adviser, Strategic Policy and Planning, Department of Defence (1998-2001)
Adviser to the Head Strategic Policy & Planning on applying scientific principles to improve traceability in the planning process and in the auditability of Defence strategic and capability decision making.Devising a research program, building multidisciplinary teams and leading the execution of R&D to reframe and then implement a new strategy process in concert with senior executives across the Defence Strategy Group.
Senior Analyst, Science Adviser Branch (1995-98)
Coordinated programs across the three Services to guide human systems and information systems research into Defence’s complex policy, command and intelligence functions, where systems interoperability for joint operations is paramount.
Dr Hodge has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systems Engineering from the Australian National University (Joint Services Staff College).
AADI Defence Pty Ltd is a company established in the middle of 2010 assist technology-oriented companies to market their goods and services effectively to defence end users and to defence industry.
Our key areas of expertise are:
- Concepts of military operations
- Current Australian defence acquisition policy and practice
- Role of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) in technical assessments of defence acquisitions and sustainment bids
- Current defence industry policy and practice.
We also seek to identify applications for Australian defence technologies in non-defence industry.
Through our principals and our network of associates we have a wealth of experience upon which to draw, in defence policy, defence science and technology, military operations and military acquisition, sustainment and logistics.
Our principals and some of their career highlights are:
Dr Bill Schofield AM
Director, Australian Submarine Corporation
Director, Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory, DSTO
First Assistant Secretary, Science Policy, Department of Defence
MajGen Jim Molan, AO, DSC
Commander, Deployable Joint Force Headquarters and 1st Division
Commander Australian Defence Colleges
Chief of Staff, Multinational Force – Iraq
Paul Barratt AO
Secretary, Department of Defence
Secretary, Commonwealth Department of Primary Industries and Energy
Executive Director, Business Council of Australia
Dr Daniel Ho
Materials Engineer, ExxonMobil Australia
Engineering Consultant, Monash University
Engineer, Ford Motor Company Australia
Our associates and some of their career highlights are:
Dr Roger Lough AM
Chief Defence Scientist, Department of Defence
Director, Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory
First Assistant Secretary, Science Policy, Department of Defence
Mr Colin Sharp AM CSC
Head Land Systems Division, Defence Materiel Organisation
Principal Consultant, Capability Matters
Director General Future Land Warfare, ADF
AVM John Blackburn AO
Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force
Commander HQ Integrated Air Defence System
Head Strategic Policy, Department of Defence
AIR CDRE Noel Schmidt AM CSC
Director General, Technical Airworthiness, ADF
Officer Commanding 501 Wing, RAAF Base Amberley
Director Technical Airworthiness, RAAF
Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO
Chief of Navy
Head Capability Development
Director General Command and Control Support Systems
