Mike Noonan AO RAN

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.