His sea postings have included HMA Ships Geelong, Brisbane, Dubbo and Melbourne under training and Melbourne again as the Fighter Controller. As a Principal Warfare Officer he served in HMAS Darwin (twice), HMAS Adelaide and in Sea Training Group as the Fleet Gunnery Officer. 

He has enjoyed Joint postings as the Navy Air Defence Instructor at RAAF Williamtown, in Capability Development Group, as Directing Staff at the Australian Command and Staff College and a short period as the Director of Maritime Operations at Joint Operations Command. 

Rear Admiral Mann has completed deployments in support of Operation Warden/Stabilise in East Timor, Operations Slipper, Falconer and Catalyst in the Middle East and border protection Operations Relex and Resolute. 

He was the Executive Officer of HMAS Anzac and the Commanding Officer of HMAS Darwin. 

His staff positions have included the Director Navy Capability Needs Analysis within Navy Headquarters for which he was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross and on exchange in US Pacific Fleet Command, N5 Policy and Plans Directorate for which he received the United States Legion of Merit. On promotion to Commodore in May 2018 he was appointed as Director General Surface Combatants and Aviation. 

Rear Admiral Mann served as Commander of the Surface Force from December 2020 until December 2022. Following promotion to his current rank, he assumed the newly created role of Head Joint Capabilities in January 2023. 

Rear Admiral Mann has a Master of Arts in Strategy and Security. He is married to Nicole and they have two young daughters. 

Adrian Piani is an environmental engineer who has worked predominately in the water resources, environmental and infrastructure sectors.

In March 2024 Adrian joined GHD as the Market Leader for Federal Government.

Previously he was the ACT Chief Engineer, where he provided strategic advice to government on infrastructure projects and supported the capability and capacity of the engineering cohort through the ACT Government Engineering Workforce Plan.

He is a Chartered Fellow and Engineering Executive of Engineers Australia, graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Chair of the Board of Engineering Excellence, and Director on the Advisory Board for the Centre for a Better Canberra at the University of Canberra.

He is a proud Canberran and is passionate about the role that infrastructure plays in supporting our wellbeing and quality of life.

Meet Jo Cooper, an Australian singer/songwriter, storyteller, advocate, author, and changemaker with a background in Project Management. Known for her vivacious spirit and unwavering passion for standing up for her beliefs, Jo is a relentless Warrior for Change who fearlessly challenges the status quo.

Gavin Blakey’s career has spanned private enterprise, local government, and the not-for-profit sector.

He has held many roles including flood management, sustainable water use, planning, budget management, geotechnical engineering, industrial relations, business development and strategic advisor, and strategic asset manager of Brisbane’s significant asset portfolio. In 2011 he was awarded a National Disaster Medal for his leadership in response and recovery from the devastating Brisbane River floods.

Gavin is the immediate past Chair of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that is creating a world where technology benefits all. Capacity building and addressing water and sanitation challenges in rural and remote areas of Australia, Asia and the Pacific are some of EWB’s strategic focus areas.

Gavin has worked in Asia on a number of occasions, including as In-Country Manager for Cambodia and Vietnam with EWB, and as Project Director on the Dili Water Emergency Response Project.

He has spoken to audiences in more than 20 countries and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his contributions to communication and leadership development nationally and internationally.

Gavin is passionate about developing leaders and achieving lasting impact through a holistic approach to human centred approaches.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours and an MBA (Technology Management).

Lucy leads the Strategy, Planning and Performance Division which focuses on providing whole-of-government strategic leadership to the development and implementation of digital policies, the Australian Government Architecture, and the Data and Digital Government Strategy. 

Lucy oversees the management of the government’s digital investment pipeline to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to government’s investment in digital and ICT. A key priority for Lucy is driving the achievement of the Australian Government’s vision to implement world class digital capabilities to deliver outstanding outcomes for all. 

Lucy also manages the Digital Transformation Agency’s development of policies, governance models, and assurance frameworks for the implementation and use of Generative Artificial Intelligence technologies across the Australian Public Service. 

Prior to joining the Digital Transformation Agency, Lucy held senior executive roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Australian Public Service Commission where she led several transformation programs. Lucy has experience across a range of sectors including Australian federal and state governments, the private sector and the UK civil service.