Advisory Council

Dr. Megan Clark AC is Chancellor of Monash University and a non-executive director of CSL Limited and Chair of the MITRE Australia subsidiary. She is a member of the Global Advisory Council of Bank of America Corporation and a member of the Australian Advisory Board of Bank of America. Dr. Clark was the Chair and founding Head of the Australian Space Agency; former Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and a non-executive director of Rio Tinto.

Dr. Clark began her career as a mining geologist and holds a BSc from the University of Western Australia and a PhD from Queens University, Canada. She was Vice President of Technology at BHP and led a technology venture capital fund with NM Rothschild and Sons (Australia). In 2014, she was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for contributions to science and technology.

Matthew Freedman serves as CEO of Global Impact, Inc., providing global strategic advisory services and developing and implementing innovative technology solutions for both the public and private sectors.

Mr. Freedman has worked with numerous global corporations around the world in key sectors: consumer products, energy, information technology, cyber security and telecommunication, global services and supply chains, entertainment and media, capital markets/finance, trade, and defense/homeland security. He has been a regular visitor to Australia and has worked with numerous Australian companies over many years.

A national security expert focused on economic development, security, military and intelligence, Mr. Freedman has served as a senior civilian advisor to numerous U.S. Government agencies at the highest levels. Over the past four decades, he has worked in or advised 15 federal government agencies in the national security arena, including but not limited to: Departments of State, Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, Executive Office of the President (NSC and OMB), U.S. Special Operations Command, Defense and Central Intelligence Agency and others. Currently, he is the Senior Advisor to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander.

In the Bush Administration (’43) he was appointed Deputy to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, and Counselor, State Department Bureau of Verification, Compliance and Implementation. He was also appointed to the Advisory Board for Africa of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

A native of New York, Mr. Freedman holds a master’s degree with honors in International Affairs from Georgetown University and an undergraduate degree from Kenyon College.

Mark Gill is a technology industry executive with a blend of expertise, including 15 years in executive leadership, 13 years in venture capital investment, and many executive and non-executive Board roles spanning over 25 years and several countries. Among his current roles, Mark is the Managing Director and one of the three founders of Talu Ventures which was established in January 2013 as the successor to CM Capital.

Mark has been primarily involved in both public and private technology companies at early and growth stage with an international focus and ambition. He has an extensive active network in the technology and investment communities, particularly in Australia, U.K., and the U.S. and deep expertise in business and enterprise solutions across a broad range of vertical markets. In addition, he has been directly responsible, as CEO, for the successful trade exit of two companies to international buyers.

Mark is currently engaged in four non-executive board roles in Australian technology businesses with a global footprint ranging up to several hundreds of millions of dollars per year in turnover. He provides a strong network and a wealth of hands-on experience across business operations coupled with broad governance expertise from almost 25 years as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Mark holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) with Honours Class 1 from the University of New South Wales; a Diploma of Company Directorship from the University of Sydney Graduate School of Management; and a Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Markets), Managed Investment Funds, from the Australian Financial Markets Association.

Alasdair Gordon is CEO of Ecosse Global Pty Ltd and Ecosse Marketplace Pty Ltd. Following his graduation with a BSc in Biology and Ecology, Alasdair worked in graduate and research positions at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Economics and the Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO). He subsequently accepted an offer to join the Department of Foreign Affairs portfolio. He spent much of the remainder of his government career working in national security and foreign policy, both in Canberra and on a number of overseas postings, mostly in Asia.

Alasdair left government following his posting in Washington D.C. and established his first company, initially in the U.S., then Hong Kong, and now Australia. The focus of this company’s work is bringing new capabilities, both Australian and international, to the Defence, Law Enforcement and National Security communities here.

In 2021, Alasdair established a second company to build an online marketplace to assist SMEs in showcasing their capabilities to government and for National Security departments and for government agencies to more efficiently and effectively access new capabilities. In July 2019, Alasdair was appointed to head a Government Review into vetting. He is a member of the MITRE Group Australia Council of Advisors, a member of the Board of Argyll Strategy UK, and is on the Board of an Australian venture capital company. Alasdair is an Indonesian speaker.

Steven Marshall served as the 46th Premier of South Australia from 2018 to 2022, and concurrently as the state’s Minister for Defence, Space, and Cyber. During his tenure, he led a strategic transformation of the state’s economy, with a focus on future industries such as advanced manufacturing, space, and defence. His leadership helped position South Australia as a global hub for innovation, securing major investments in the tech, defence, and film sectors.

Currently, Steven is the Chair of the Australian Advisory Council for MITRE, where he continues to advance Australia’s space, cyber, and tech industries, promoting collaboration with global partners, especially the U.S. His dedication to the U.S.-Australian alliance is further strengthened by his role as a Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham).

With extensive experience in government and a strong international business network, Steven is a driving force for innovation and growth in emerging industries.

Vice Admiral Mike Noonan retired from the Royal Australian Navy in mid-2022 after more than 38 years of service. In his last role, as Chief of Navy Australia, he was entrusted by government to be its principal naval advisor, and to raise, train and sustain Australia’s naval forces.

His Command of the Royal Australian Navy spanned a critical period when Australia’s strategic environment underwent rapid and unanticipated deterioration, described as the ‘most consequential strategic realignment since WWII’ – with the Indo-Pacific at its centre. His tenure was characterised by a focus on, and genuine respect and care for, the people he led, and he determinedly worked to expand the Navy and secured the government’s commitment to grow to 21,000 by 2035. He oversaw the introduction into service of a number of new naval capabilities and personally led a small team that transformed the idea of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia to an attainable capability outcome.

When not tending to his small herd of cattle in south-east Queensland, Admiral Noonan supports industry and academia on a broad range of defence and maritime issues and sits on a number of related boards. He holds Masters degrees in Maritime Policy, Business Administration, Marketing Communication, and International Relations. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by the University of Wollongong for his contribution to the maritime security of Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.