Sydney-based autonomous systems manufacturer Advanced Navigation has appointed long-serving military legal officer Michelle Toscan as its new head of Asia-Pacific sales.
Ms Toscan most recently worked as an executive at Anduril and Google, following over 25 years as a legal officer within the Royal Australian Navy and the Department of Defence.
She will be tasked with leading the company’s engagement with Defence’s global supply chain program. Advanced Navigation counts a swathe of defence primes as supply partners, including BAE Systems, Boeing, Leidos, Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall.
“Toscan’s deep understanding of the Defence and federal government landscapes, coupled with her extensive commercial experience, makes her uniquely qualified to lead our APAC expansion,” Advanced Navigation chief revenue officer Christopher McNamara said.
Workforce technology startup Culture Amp has named current chief financial and operating officer Caroline Rawlinson its new chief executive. The company on Wednesday said co-founder Didier Elzinga will transition from the CEO role to serve as executive chair.
Mr Elzinga founded Culture Amp in 2009 with Doug English, Rod Hamilton, and Jon Williams, transforming it into a global firm with a $2 billion market valuation. Ms Rawlinson began her career as a consultant at PwC in 2006 and has gone on to build a formidable leadership career across construction, digital and finance.
Senior New South Wales public servant Elizabeth Mildwater has taken on leadership of the state’s Department of Customer Service. The broad-ranging portfolio covers most of the state’s public-facing services and is also responsible for its digital transformation and AI uptake efforts.
NSW Customer Service minister Jihad Dib said he looked forward to working with Ms Mildwater on a slate of policy objectives he said included “digital identity, strengthening cyber security and making government services more inclusive and accessible. Ms Mildwater succeeds Graeme Head, who became CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency in November.
Australian Defence Force veteran Jeremy King will be Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand’s new CEO. Mr King stepped down as head of Joint Aviation Systems at Defence’s powerful Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group in December.
Lockheed International president Jay Pitman said “Jeremy’s depth of experience in large-scale defence acquisitions… gives him a strong understanding of the complex security challenges facing our customers”. Mr King succeeds outgoing CEO Warren McDonald, who will depart Lockheed Martin in February after nearly five years.
Hypersonix Launch Systems has redirected the focus of board chair Arthur Sinodinos to the US as it prepares for test flights in partnership with NASA and the US Department of Defence scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2026.
The company this week announced the former Australian ambassador to the US and federal cabinet minister would lead its American representation efforts along with “strategic engagement across allied defence ecosystems”. Mr Sinodinos was first named Hypersonix’s chair in April 2024.
Lynas Rare Earths CEO and managing director Amanda Lacaze has told the mining company’s board she intends to retire in June after 12 years at the helm. Lynas’ chair John Humphrey lauded Ms Lacaze’s leadership as transformational, crediting her with growing the company’s market valuation from $400 million to $15 billion.
Ms Lacaze said she hopes her successor will be a woman, noting women mining executives are “still not making it through to the top in as many instances as I would like to see”.
Veteran academic Professor Nicola Phillips has begun her tenure as vice chancellor and president of Adelaide University. Ms Phillips’ appointment was announced last June ahead of her January 12 start date. Adelaide University, a merger between the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia, begins its first full academic calendar in 2026.
Alastair Hick has commenced as CEO of Australia’s longest-running venture fund Uniseed. Mr Hick joined the firm as a director in 2023, following 19 years as an executive at Monash University. Uniseed’s CEO Dr Peter Devine exited in 2025 after nearly 20 years in the role.
Federal public servant Anna Li has joined the Department of Finance as assistant director, monitoring and evaluation, AI delivery and enablement (AIDE). Department Secretary Matt Yannopoulos launched the AIDE program in May to help public service agencies accelerate AI transition efforts. The APS is expected to roll out its bespoke AI platform GovAI chat in 2026.
Emeritus Professor Glyn Davis will return to the University of Melbourne as interim vice chancellor in February as it begins the search for a successor to Professor Emma Johnston, who passed away suddenly last year due to complications from cancer.
Jaime Enríquez will join digital transformation consultant Fusion5 as its new group head of strategy and transformation Australia and New Zealand. He is tasked with leading the company’s board strategy process and its transformation office.
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