Speakers

Keynote Speakers

• 

  LTGEN Susan Coyle, AM, CSC, DSM

  Chief of Joint Capabilities

  Lieutenant General Susan Coyle enlisted as a soldier in the Army Reserves in 1987 before completing a Science degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduating from the Royal Military College in 1992 into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. She was appointed to Chief of Joint Capabilities Group in July 2024, becoming the first female to lead a warfighting and operational domain.

  Lieutenant General Coyle has worked at the tactical, operational and strategic level in a variety of command and staff appointments. She has commanded at every rank, including Commander Forces Command, Commander Joint Task Force 633 (CJTF633), Commander 6th Brigade, Commander Task Group Afghanistan and Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment. She has seen operational service as the J6 Communications on Operation CITADEL, and Officer Commanding 104th Signal Squadron on Operation ANODE, Deputy Commander – Afghanistan, transitioning into Deputy Commander JTF 636 on Operation SLIPPER / Task Group Afghanistan on Operation HIGHROAD, and CJTF633 on Operation ACCORDION. Key staff appointments include Head Information Warfare, Director Workforce and Behaviours - First Principles Review, Director Soldier Career Management – Army, Director of Studies Land at the Australian Command and Staff College, Military Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Army and Aide-de-camp to Commander Australian Theatre.

  Lieutenant General Coyle holds post-graduate qualifications in a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, a Master in Organisational Development and Strategic Human Resource Management from the University of New England, and a Master of Management in Defence Studies from the University of Canberra. She is an alumnus of the Harvard Advanced Management Program.

  Lieutenant General Coyle was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for Commander Joint Task Force 633, a Distinguished Service Medal as Deputy Commander JTF 636 / Commander Task Group Afghanistan on Operation SLIPPER / HIGHROAD, and a Conspicuous Service Cross as Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment. She has also received a Chief of Joint Operations Command Commendation as Officer Commanding 104th Signal Squadron on Operation ANODE, and a Commander Australian Theatre Commendation as Staff Officer to the Commander Australian Theatre Joint Intelligence Centre. Whilst posted to the United States, she received the U.S. Army Commendation Medal as the 11th Signal Brigade Satellite Engineer.

  Susan is married to Mark, an Engineer in the Army, and together they have three wonderful and mostly charming millennials – Jessica, Susie, and Jack. Her hobbies include attending musical theatre, reading anything and travelling anywhere
• 

  CDRE James Nash, RAN

  Director General Explosive Ordnance, Joint Capabilities Group, Defence

  CDRE James Nash is a Weapons Electrical Engineering officer by specialization, with a sub specialization in Armaments Engineering. His shore postings have included acquisition, waterfront engineering, Navy, Joint and Overseas Headquarters positions.

  Postings have included Director Interoperability in the VCDFE, Exchange officer to the USN N9I office at the Pentagon and as the Combat System Director, for the Destroyer Program within CASG. In addition he has held Armanent engineering positions in both Joint Capability Group and Navy as Technical Staff Officer (Navy) and Assitant Director Armanents respectively.

  His sea-going postings have included postings in the frigate HMAS Adelaide (FFGOliver Hazard Perry Class) and as Deputy Weapons Engineer in the destroyer HMAS Perth (DDG-Charles F. Adams Class). With his last sea posting as the Weapons Engineering Office in HMAS Stuart (FFH- ANZAC Class).

  Operational postings have included six months as the Naval Assistant to Australian Ambassador Cairo, in support of UN Sanction enforcement operations against Iraq. Whilst on HMAS Stuart, he was deployed in support of OP CATALYST.

  In January 2012 he was promoted to Captain and was posted to the Destroyer Program Combat System Director, responsible for the delivery of the Aegis FMS program into the Australian Shipbuilding program. In Jul 2020 he graduated from the Eishenhower School at the National Defense University (NDU), and was posted to the Pentagon as an exchange officer to N9I in OPNAV. On return to Australia he was Director Interoperability within Force Integeration Division.

  In May 2022 he was promoted to Commodore and is posted as Director General Explosive within the Joint Capability Group.

  CDRE Nash holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from University of NSW, a Masters in Science (Explosive Ordnance Engineering) from Cranfield University UK. A Masters in Business Adminstration and Complex Progect Management from Queensland University of Technology, and a Masters in Science in National Resource Strategy from NDU, USA.

  CDRE Nash is married to Kate and they have five children and a Labrador "Toby".
• 

  AIRCDRE Mark Scougall

  Director General Explosive Materiel Branch - Systems Division, Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group, Defence

  Air Commodore Scougall enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1985, and graduated from Engineer Cadet Squadron (RAAF Frognall) in 1988 with a Bachelor Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (with Honours) from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

  During his early Air Force career, Mark 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. His key engineering appointments included Senior Engineering Officer at No 6 Squadron; and F-111 Chief Engineer at Strike Reconnaissance Systems Program Office.

  In 2006, Mark was appointed as the inaugural Commanding Officer within the RAAF's C-17A Globemaster III acquisition project, working with the US Air Force to acquire, and establish the sustainment management system for Australia's new fleet of C-17A aircraft. Upon return to Australia in 2010, he was promoted to Group Captain within Capability Development Group (CDG) where he managed Air Force's major capital acquisition program for its air traffic and battlespace management systems. In 2014, Mark was appointed as the Officer Commanding of Air Lift Systems Program Office, responsible for the sustainment and upgrade of Air Force's C-130J Hercules and C-27J Spartan aircraft fleets. Since 2017, he 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. Mark was promoted into the CASG Director-General Explosive Materiel role in 2023.

  Air Commodore Scougall is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC), receiving a Masters of Management through the University of Canberra; and has since also completed an Executive Masters of Business majoring in Complex Project Management through the Queensland University of Technology, receiving a Dean's Award for academic excellence.

  His contribution in rapidly establishing the novel C-17A sustainment system to support the unprecedentedly aggressive aircraft delivery schedule was recognised through the award of the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) in 2010. He has also received two Gold Commendations from the Chief of CDG and Deputy Secretary of CASG.

  Air Commodore Scougall holds Chartered Engineer, Engineering Executive and Fellow status with Engineers Australia.

  Affectionately known as 'Scougs', Mark and his wife Mary are proud parents to three adult daughters.