ABOUT GEOMASTERY ADVISORY

Lesley is one of Australia’s foremost experts in the intersection of complex systems, strategic policy and technology, with particular focus on cyber security, quantum technology and defence industry. In addition to being a co-founder of Geomastery Advisory, she is a founding member of Strategic Analysis Australia, an accomplished author, a mentor to CIOs, CISOs and CTOs and has extensive experience in strategy, policy, management, budget, information technology and research in the Australian Government, industry and academia.

Lesley has held senior roles in the Australian Government Departments of Finance, Defence, and the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Bureau of Meteorology, Digital Transformation Agency and the Office of National Intelligence. She has also held senior roles as an IT and management consultant in private industry and at two universities, including the ANU where she was the CEO of the Cyber Institute. As a result, Lesley has delivered large scale projects in complex technology and technical environments as well as providing significant contributions to Australian strategic policy, national security and materiel budgeting and capability risk management. She is also a regular contributor to strategic policy development in allied nations.

Lesley is a member of the audit committees of several Australian government agencies; and recently served on Australia’s Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board. She has a PhD in information technology and complex systems, an MBA, a Masters in Defence Studies, a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science (Physics) and is an alumna of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Michelle is an economist, technologist and investor with an overlay of corporate law. In addition to being a co-founder of Geomastery Advisory, she is an adviser to Humanico, Cynch Security, Detexian, Boston Global, Rhea Space Activity and the Australian Women in Security Network.

Michelle is also the independent member of the Board of Essential Energy’s Risk and Cyber Committee, Director of OSG Australia, Global Cybersecurity Risk Lead for the Smart Cities Council and a member of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology’s Advisory Committee, the Australian Active Cyber Defence Alliance’s Advisory Committee and the Aspen Institute’s Global Cybersecurity Group. She is also an independent adviser to SXSW Sydney.

Michelle has previously held roles as Partner with EY Australia; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Cybersecurity; Executive Director and CEO of AustCyber; Non Executive Director of the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre and Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre; Senior Adviser for Cyber Security at ANU National Security College; and various roles in the Australian Government, including at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, where she was instrumental to the delivery of the Government’s first national Cyber Security Strategy released in 2016, author of the nation’s first National Security Strategic Risk Framework and lead for three national security Budgets. Prior to Government, Michelle worked in strategy and risk in Australia’s food manufacturing sector with a focus on food safety risk management and auditing.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Corporate Law, a Bachelor’s degree in Design (Visual Communications) and is an alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.