Gary Stewart appointed CEO of QinetiQ Australia

UK-based defence research company QinetiQ Group plc has announced the formation of a new Australia Sector and named Gary Stewart as the Sector’s Chief Executive, effective 1 May 2023. Gary will join QinetiQ from Rheinmetall Defence Australia where he was the Managing Director responsible for strategy and operational delivery in the Asia Pacific region. The former CEO also of General Dynamics Australia Limited in Adelaide,  Gary will join QinetiQ’s Leadership Team led by Steve Wadey, QinetiQ’s Group Chief Executive Officer.

The creation of the new Australia Sector, which replaces what was previously the International Sector, is a further demonstration of QinetiQ’s commitment and investment in Australia, says the company. “It is evidence of our ambition to build an integrated global defence and security company focused around our six distinctive offerings and three home countries, of the UK, US and Australia. The Australia Sector will be headquartered in Canberra and has more than 1,200 employees worldwide.”

The Australia Sector becomes QinetiQ’s global hub for threat representation, including recently acquired Air Affairs, Target Systems (in the UK and Canada) and our German air threat representation and training business. QinetiQ’s four Sectors are now Australia, the US, UK Defence and UK Intelligence and together the company is well-placed to support the goals of AUKUS and ultimately ensure the country has the right capabilities to meet the growing strategic challenges and threats facing Australia and its partners.

“The new Australia Sector will be crucial in creating sovereign capability and further developing critical skills including becoming QinetiQ’s global leader for threat representation,” said Gary Stewart in a statement. 

QinetiQ has invested more than $100 million in Australian people, skills and capabilities. The $53m acquisition of Air Affairs in October 2022, the new Technology and Engineering Centre in Fishermans Bend, Melbourne and the sovereign Test & Evaluation upskilling program are aligned with the Australian government’s focus of rebuilding the industrial base to create new capabilities and opportunities.