Session 1.2: Expo Session with Chief of Joint Capabilities
Tracks
Open Session
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 |
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM |
Royal Theatre |
Speaker
LTGEN Susan Coyle, AM, CSC, DSM
Chief of Joint Capabilities
Australian Army / Department of Defence
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Biography
Lieutenant General Susan Coyle enlisted as a soldier in the Army Reserves in 1987 before completing a science degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduating from the Royal Military College in 1992 into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. Appointed to Chief of Joint Capabilities Group in July 2024, she proudly leads the Space and Cyber Domains and National Support for Defence.
Lieutenant General Coyle has worked at the tactical, operational and strategic levels and is fortunate to have had multiple opportunities to command. Key appointments have included Head Information Warfare, Commander Forces Command, Commander Joint Task Force 633, Commander 6th Brigade, Commander Task Group Afghanistan and Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment. She has deployed to Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Lieutenant General Coyle holds three post-graduate masters degrees and is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army War College and an alumnus of the Harvard Advanced Management Program.
Lieutenant General Coyle was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for Commander Joint Task Force 633, a Distinguished Service Medal as Deputy Commander JTF 636/Commander Task Group Afghanistan, and a Conspicuous Service Cross as Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment. Whilst posted to the United States, she received the U.S. Army Commendation Medal as the 11th Signal Brigade Satellite Engineer.
Susan is married to Mark, an engineer in the Army, and together they have three wonderful and mostly charming millennials – Jessica, Susie and Jack. Her hobbies include attending musical theatre, reading anything and travelling anywhere.
RADM Andrew Quinn
Head of Space & Cyber Capabilities
Australian Navy / Department of Defence
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Biography
RADM Andrew Quinn, RAN graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science. RADM Quinn is a Principal Warfare Officer (Air) and has held Command of the Fremantle Class Patrol Boat HMAS Bunbury, Armidale Class Patrol boat HMAS Bathurst and the ANZAC Class Frigate HMAS Toowoomba. RADM Quinn has gained experience across multiple projects at various stages of the Capability Lifecycle, culminating in his current role as Head of Space and Cyber Capabilities. RADM Quinn is a reluctant gardener, enjoys reading (biographies and fantasy), and strategy gaming
Major General Warren Gould, AM
Head of Cyber Operations
Australian Army / Department of Defence
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Biography
Major General Warren Gould, AM is currently Head of Cyber Operations Division (HCO), responsible for all Defence enterprise and deployed cyberspace operations. A career Signals Officer, he has commanded Signals units at Combat Brigade and Division level, including on operations in East Timor, Sumatra, Middle-East and Afghanistan.
Major General Gould is a specialist in capability procurement and management, with experience in land, joint and coalition integration outcomes. He was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (Military Division) in 2023 for his exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force's command and control framework.
MAJGEN Robert Wastson, CSC
Commander Cyber Command
Australian Army / Department of Defence
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Biography
Major General Watson enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1992 as an Electronic Warfare Operator. In 1996, he was appointed to the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and following graduation, he returned to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.
Throughout his career, Major General Watson has been fortunate to serve in a range of appointments at the 1st Signal Regiment, 7th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare), Defence Force School of Signals and the 2nd Commando Regiment. Additionally, he has held a series of staff appointments at Division, Command and Service levels.
As a senior officer, he has served as Director Joint Cyber, Director General Joint Information Warfare, and most recently as the Deputy of Operations, United States Cyber Command - the first non-United States officer to do so. Currently, he is the Commander of ADF Cyber Command.
Major General Watson has deployed multiple times to East Timor and Afghanistan, most recently in 2013/14 as the CJ3 of the International Security Assistance Force, Special Operations Forces. He holds postgraduate degrees in Information Technology (USQ) and Military Studies (ANU) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
