Investing in the Next Generation of ICT Innovators – A New Approach

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Leading into Anzac Day, the Federal and ACT Council of the Australian Information Industry Association’s (AIIA) April Canberra Managers’ Forum has traditionally been reserved for a Defence speaker. This year is no different and the AIIA Council are particularly delighted to announce that the April industry luncheon speakers shall be decorated Australian Soldier and Victoria Cross medal recipient, Mark Donaldson VC, and the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at the Department of Defence, Mr Mohan Aiyaswami.

Mohan shall be speaking first and shall cover the latest thinking and development’s around Defence’s future ICT strategy combined with an insight into his associated CISO responsibilities.

Following Mohan, Mark Donaldson VC shall provide an overview of his inspirational life journey before focusing in on the leadership lessons that he has gathered through his experience in the military and how those lessons can be valuable to all of us. Mark will also update us on his work helping veterans today and a percentage of the event’s proceeds shall go to a charity of Mark’s choosing.

Guest Speakers

Mark Donaldson, VC

Mark Donaldson VC is a remarkable young man that has lived life to the full from a very early age.

On 2 September 2008 in a valley in eastern Afghanistan, Trooper Mark Donaldson made a split second decision that would change his life. His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the Australian Victoria Cross for Gallantry – the ultimate symbol of heroism.

Yet Mark’s journey to those crucial moments in Afghanistan was almost as exceptional as the acts that led to his VC.

He was a rebellious teenager who lost his Vietnam veteran father in his mid teens and a few years later his mother disappeared, presumed murdered.

A young man was at the crossroads. He had a choice, a life of self-destructiveness and petty crime or change the pattern. Mark chose the Army. It turned out to be a wonderful alternative and truly inspiring for the youth of Australia.

Mark Donaldson was a natural soldier who excelled in the training and discipline of Army life. He set himself goals and planned a program that would see him pass the most rigorous of mental and physical tests to become a member of Australia’s elite Special Air Service (SAS). He took no short cuts.

Tours of East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan followed and Mark carries the reminder of how luck can be an important ingredient in success. A bullet remains lodged in his leg to this day to keep him focussed.

Mark Donaldson VC knows what it takes to lead. He knows what it is like to take responsibility for personal and team success. He knows how crucial effective communication is to the success of any plan.  Mark knows what makes an effective team.  He knows how critical it is for leaders to be agile in their decision making and how important resilience is in both the planning and implementation phases of an operation. In his world, lives depend on it.

Mark Donaldson VC is married with two children. He continues to serve in the SAS. He has authored a best selling book  “ The Cross Road – a story of life, death and the SAS” and he is  committed to assisting soldiers to settle back into Australian life after being in harms way on duty overseas.

Mark Donaldson VC is a man that makes Australia very proud.

Mohan Aiyaswami
Chief Technology Officer/Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Defence

Mohan took over the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) in June 2014. He is the Senior Responsible Officer for the Defence ICT strategy, technology road maps, architecture and delivering ICT systems and applications in line with Defence’s goals and strategies.

As the CISO, Mohan manages and governs the information security landscape for the department. He also leads the Business Relationship Management Office (BRMO) function to assist business to shape ICT demands and capability.

Mohan provides direction and guidance to defence on projects of strategic significance, promoting technology awareness and competence throughout the organisation and ensuring applications are built and integrated in line with architecture for applications and infrastructure aligned with Defence capabilities. Mohan is also the Command, Control,
Communications, Computer (C4) Intelligence surveillance reconnaissance (ISR) technical authority supporting the Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) in his role as C4ISR design authority.

He also provides guidance Defence on projects of strategic significance, promoting technology awareness and competence throughout the organisation and ensuring applications are built and integrated in line with CIOG’s architecture for applications, infrastructure aligned with the Defence capabilities.

Prior to joining the Australian Public Service he had a long career in the private sector ICT industry, with Toll Group, Optus, Satyam Computers, Coles Myer, Mercator Software, Haltek and Citicorp India.

Mohan has a Bachelor of Engineering with several trainings in areas of technologies, leadership, financial and project management.

In his first job as a Software Engineer, Mohan had the opportunity to lead a technical team that implemented the automated passenger reservation system for Indian Railways, which was voted at the “Project of the Century”.

Mohan has held several roles since then covering all areas of information technology. He conceived, developed and implemented ground breaking technology products and solutions as part of his roles at Haltek, HiServ, Mercator and Satyam.

He led the Enterprise Integration function at Coles Myer during their transformation program, and the Enterprise Architecture transition program for Optus.

More recently in his role as General Manager, Strategy & Architecture, Security & Risk with Toll Group, he was responsible for all aspects of IT strategy, Enterprise Architecture, technology innovation and planning. He was also responsible for leading the Toll Group information security and risk management.

Mohan is married with one daughter. A true sports enthusiast, he likes to watch the odd game of cricket and AFL (West Coast Eagles supporter), enjoys a game of tennis, loves to cook curries, enjoys watching movies and reading books in his mother tongue (Tamil) and spending time with his family.

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