Speakers
The LEWG 2025 has an incredible line up of speakers that will be able to provide valuable insights into defence capability. View our speaker bios by clicking on their names. Speakers are in order of appearance.
Professor Peter J. Dean PhD SFHEA is the Director, Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Professor Dean has an extensive background in military and defence studies. An international award-winning author he has authored numerous books, policy papers and articles on the US-Australian alliance, Australian defence policy, military operations and regional security. Previously Professor Dean was the University of Western Australia’s (UWA) first Chair of Defence Studies and the inaugural director of the UWA Defence and Security Institute. Most recently Professor Dean was Co-Lead of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review (DSR) Secretariat where he served as senior advisor and principal author for the Independent Leads, His Excellency Professor the Hon. Stephen Smith and Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AC AFC (Retd).
Major General Richard Vagg, DSC Born and educated in country Queensland, Major General Vagg joined the Army in 1992, graduating from the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 1993 to the Royal Australian Artillery. He has enjoyed an exciting career with regimental experience at 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and on exchange with 40 Regiment (AS-90), Royal Artillery. He was also the inaugural Commanding Officer of 16th Air Land Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery.
His training experience includes appointments at the School of Artillery and Duntroon, while his staff experience includes appointments at the British Defence Intelligence Staff, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, as well as Modernisation and Strategic Plans – Army. He was MA to Commander Forces Command, the Director of Military Art, Royal Military College – Duntroon and the Director General Systems and Integration – Army. After working as Director General Air and Land Capability Analysis in Contestability Division, Major General Vagg was seconded to the Defence Strategic Review as the lead military Director General. He assumed his current position as Head Land Capability in March of 2023.
Major General Vagg has operational experience in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. His most recent deployment was as Commander Task Group Taji, Rotation Four in Iraq—for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He has also been awarded a Commander Multi-National Brigade (Central) Commendation for his role in several operations along the Kosovo/Macedonian/Albanian border and a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his work as the inaugural Commanding Officer of the Artillery Training Team – Kabul.
He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College, the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies and Australian Institute of Company Directors. Major General Vagg holds a Masters of Arts – Management and Strategy from the University of New South Wales and a Masters of Business Administration from Deakin University. Whilst studying at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies he received the Field Marshall Sir Thomas Blamey Award.
Major General Vagg’s work in capability development combined with his regimental, operational and training appointments have provided him with broad exposure to the Defence enterprise. He enjoys the challenges of modernising Defence and setting the conditions to create options for an integrated Joint Force.
Major General Jason Blain was born in Mossman, north Queensland, and completed
his schooling in Ingham. After attaining a Bachelor of Arts he attended the Royal Military
College Duntroon, graduating into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1991.During his more than 30 years’ service, he has served in an extensive range of command
appointments. As an Infantry officer he has commanded at all levels within the Royal
Australian Regiment (RAR) and was the Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion RAR
from 2008 to 2009. Prior to assuming his current role as Head of Armoured Vehicles, he
was the Commander of the 7th Combat Brigade in Brisbane, one of Army’s three combat
brigades, from 2020 to 2021.
Major General Blain’s overseas and operational experience includes a two-year exchange
with the Canadian Forces, company command in East Timor, command of Rifle
Company Butterworth in Malaysia, and service in Afghanistan. During 2007, he served
as an operations officer in ISAF Headquarters in Kabul. From January to June 2010 he
commanded Mentoring Task Force One (MTF-1) in Uruzgan Province. The task force
was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation in recognition of sustained outstanding service
during an intensive operational tour. From July to October 2010 he served as the inaugural
Deputy Commander of Combined Team Uruzgan. For his 2010 service in Afghanistan he
was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Following on from his operational experience and on promotion to Colonel in 2011, he
was privileged to establish ‘Diggerworks’ within what was then the Defence Materiel
Organisation. Diggerworks has transformed the way Army designs, integrates and delivers
the soldier combat system. In 2013 he was seconded to the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) as the Senior Adviser for Defence Policy and Operations. In
2014 he served as the Director of Military Commitments-Army where he was responsible
for Army’s support to operations and preparedness. His early staff roles also include
serving in the Directorate of Officer Career Management-Army, for which he was awarded
the Conspicuous Service Cross.
Major General Blain has served in a variety of strategic level appointments, including on a
second secondment to PM&C as a Brigadier, where he led the Defence and Intelligence
Branch in the National Security Division followed by the Global Interests Branch in
International Division. His responsibilities included advising the Prime Minister on ADF
operations, Defence capability, and international policy. From 2016 to 2018 he was
the inaugural Director General Force Options and Plans in Force Design Division, where
he was responsible for identifying joint force requirements and designing the Defence
Capability Assessment Program.
Major General Blain was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2022
Queen’s Birthday Honours. In addition to his undergraduate degree, he holds a Master
of Business Administration, a Master of Management and is a graduate of the Australian
Command and Staff Course (2003), the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2012),
the Indian Army Higher Defence Orientation Course (2014), and the Centre for Defence
and Strategic Studies (2015).
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.
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, 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.
Kate joined the Australian Industry Group in 2017 following an extensive career in the Department of Defence.
Kate joined the Department of Defence as a graduate in 1997. She has extensive experience with Defence capability development, acquisition, contestability and industry policy. Her final position with Defence was First Assistant Secretary Defence Industry Policy Division where Kate was responsible for the effective implementation of the Government’s approach to Defence Industry policy.
As the Executive Director of the Ai Group Defence Council, Kate has the privilege of working with industry and Defence to provide trusted policy advice and help build the Defence and industry partnership.
Kate has a Bachelor of Laws (1st Class Honours) and Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University.
Dean has been Acting Managing Director at HDA since May 2024. He stepped into this role from being HDA’s Director of Operations. As Acting Managing Director, Dean is responsible for the overall running of the business with the support of the executive leadership team.
As part of the executive leadership team at HDA as Director of Operations, Dean brings a wealth of experience from the automotive and manufacturing sectors alongside his Defence industry experience.
With a focus on seeking practical, realistic and sustainable outcomes that improve compliance, cost, safety and resource efficiency for the business as a whole.
From OH&S and governance to ICT and compliance, Dean’s wide-ranging role sees him lead a team of subject matter experts to ensure that HDA performs its business within the relevant standards and frameworks.
Developing the business from its start up roots in Australia to succeed as Australia’s newest Defence Prime, as Operations Director Dean is based in the Melbourne HQ with oversight of the workshop space in Laverton and the Hanwha Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) now under construction at the Avalon Airport Industrial Precinct.
With a special focus on security (physical, cyber and clearances), Dean is an integral part of the HDA team to enable a wide range of company functions to excel.
Major General Hugh Meggitt joined the Australian Regular Army in January 1996, graduating from the Royal Military College - Duntroon in 1997 after completing an undergraduate degree and working for a number of years as a scientific officer. He has served in a variety of Army regimental positions including command at troop, squadron and regimental level in Infantry, Combat Engineer and Special Operations units respectively.
Major General Meggitt’s staff appointments have included roles in Land Headquarters, the Royal Military College – Duntroon, Joint Operations Command, Counter Improvised Threats Task Force, Land Capability Division, Vice Chief of Defence Force Group, Strategic and International Policy Division and Special Operations Command.
Major General Meggitt’s operational experience includes the Sydney Olympics (2000), East Timor (2002 and 2009), Afghanistan (2006, 2010 and 2016), Japan Tsunami (2011) and Iraq (2016). Domestically he has commanded multiple domestic Australian Defence Force high risk search, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Counter Improvised Explosive Device missions in conventional and special operations roles supporting Australian state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Major General Meggitt is a graduate of the Australian Command Staff College (2008) and Australian War College (2020). He holds a Bachelors Degree in Science and a Masters Degree in International Relations.
His recent appointments include Director Combat Support Program within Land Capability Division, Director Submarines and Anti Submarine Warfare within Contestability Division, the Military Attaché and Head of the Australian Army Staff in North America and most recently Director General Special Operations Modernisation, responsible for innovation, experimentation and capability development for Australia’s Special Operations Command.
Air Commodore Scougall enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1985, and graduated from Engineer Cadet Squadron in 1988 with a Bachelor Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (with Honours) from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
During his early Air Force career, Air Commodore Scougall served in a variety of aircraft maintenance, engineering and integrated logistics management roles, primarily in support of the Air Force’s F-111 strike aircraft. Since 2017, Air Commodore Scougall has served in several senior capability development, acquisition and sustainment Program Office roles, including as the Air Domain’s Director of Program Performance and Reporting within Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG); and as Chief of Staff to the Head of Air Force Capability within Air Force Headquarters. Air Commodore Scougall was promoted into the CASG Director-General Explosive Materiel role in 2023 and is currently serving as Director-General GWEO Air Branch.
Rear Admiral Michael Houghton, RAN joined the Navy in 1982 as an undergraduate engineer officer while studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Queensland. He transferred to the Submarine Service in 1986 and served as Engineer Officer in HMAS Otama before joining the New Submarine Project in Canberra in 1989. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1992, he served in Sweden as Submarine Project Liaison Officer and completed a Military Staff Course at the Swedish War College.
He returned to Australia as Squadron Marine Engineer and supported the introduction of HMAS Collins into service. Promoted to Commander in 1999, he became Collins Class Logistics Manager. In 2003, he served as Senior Naval Officer – South Queensland before promotion to Captain and posting to Washington DC as Deputy Project Manager for the Joint Heavyweight Torpedo Project, helping achieve Initial Operational Capability for the Mk 48 Mod 7 torpedo.
On returning in 2008, he led the Amphibious Ship (LHD) Project and oversaw key design milestones. After completing an Executive Masters in Complex Project Management, he was promoted to Commodore and appointed Director General Major Surface Ships, where he implemented major reforms to ship maintenance and the Rizzo Reform Program.
In 2014, he became Director General Future Submarines and later served in France leading the Future Submarine Program. Transferring to the Navy Reserve in 2020, he chaired the Warship Asset Management Agreement Board, supporting Anzac Class Frigates.
In April 2025, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Head of Patrol Boats and Specialist Ships.
Rear Admiral Houghton is married and has four adult children.
Brigadier Davis joined the Army in 1995. His formative experiences were in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment which he commanded from 2014-2016. He served on operations in East Timor in 2003 and in Iraq in 2008/2009. From 2017 to 2018 he was the liaison officer to the United Kingdom Land Forces.
Brigadier Davis’ staff appointments include Army Headquarters as Staff Officer Grade One – the Army Plan, Director of the Chief of Army’s Initiatives Group and Director of Joint Concepts.
Brigadier Davis is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College (2011) and the School of Advanced Military Studies (2012).
He assumed his appointment as Director General Future Land Warfare in September 2022 and leads Army design, innovation, land concepts, history, research and experimentation.
Mr Purdy is a career public servant with over 17 years’ experience across ministerial and parliamentary coordination, international defence industry and export policy, and corporate and industry program delivery roles, across the then Department of Human Services, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Department of Defence.
Mr Purdy’s key responsibilities include the development and management of Defence’s export policy, delivery of the Team Defence Australia Program, supporting Supply Chain Resilience initiatives under the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience, and the delivery of the soon to be established Australian Defence Strategic Sales Office.