Speakers & Panellists

We have an exceptional line up of speakers and panellists for CAS 2025, each providing unique insights into Army in Society.

View the full list of speaker and panellist bios.

Tuesday 26 August - Australian Parliament House & Australian War Memorial

Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC

Chief of the
 Australian Army

Brigadier Michelle Campbell, AM

Director General Workforce Integration - Army

Professor Risa Brooks

Keogh Chair and Allis-Chalmers Professor of Political Science at Marquette University

Professor Peter Dean, PhD

General Sir Francis Hassett Chair of Military Studies, Australian Defence College

Dr Evan Laksmana

Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow and Editor of the Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment at the International Institute for Strategic Studies

Dr Natalie Sambhi

Senior Policy Fellow, Asia Society Australia

LTGEN Peter Leahy, AC (Retd)

Director of the National Security Institute, University of Canberra and former Chief of the Australian Army

Tony Jones

Journalist, Radio & Television Presenter and Write

Matt Anderson, PSM

Director of the Australian War Memorial








Tuesday 26 August - Online Panel

Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC

Chief of the
 Australian Army


Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, KCMG

Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College London

Professor Sir Hew Strachan CVO

Professor of International Relations, University of St Andrews




Professor Rory Medcalf, AM

Head of National Security College, Australian National University

Wednesday 27 August - Museum of Modern Democracy

Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC

Chief of the
 Australian Army


General Sir Peter Cosgrove, AK, AC, CVO, MC (Retd)

Former Governor General of Australia


Major General Ana Duncan, AM, CSC

Commander of Forces Command, Australian Army




Matthew Wilson

Executive Co-Chair of PentenAmio

Dr Carolyn Bull

Director of RAND Australia


Major General Richard Vagg, DSC

Head Land Capability, Australian Army


Professor Duncan Lewis AO, DSC, CSC

Chair of the European Australian Business Council and Chair of the Defence Company Thales Australia




Professor Rory Medcalf, AM

Head of National Security College, Australian National University

Brigadier David McCammon DSM and Bar

Commander, Australian Army Cadets

Secretary Alison Frame

Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs


Dr Justin Garrick

Head of Canberra Grammar School