Dr Brendan Nelson AO was appointed President of Boeing in Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific in February 2020. Dr Nelson is chairman of the board for Boeing Australia Holdings and the company’s senior leader for its 3,800 employees working across commercial airplane manufacturing, defence systems, services, research & development, and autonomous systems. Prior to Boeing, Dr Nelson served as director of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. He began his career in 1985 as a medical practitioner before going on to lead the Australian Medical Association. In 1996, he was elected to the Federal Parliament of Australia serving as Minister for Education, Science and Training and then as Minister for Defence. He was elected leader of Australia’s Liberal Party in 2007 and led the Opposition until 2008. He later served as Australia’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO until 2012. In 2016, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the community and the parliament of Australia, his diplomacy, and his cultural leadership.


Air Vice-Marshall Margaret Staib, AM, CSC, Australian Government Freight Controller, Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)

Air Vice-Marshal Margaret Staib was appointed as the Australian Government Freight Controller leading the International Freight Assistance Mechanism within the Australian Trade and Investment Commission in April 2020.  

Margaret is a Non-Executive Director of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the Australian Royal Aeronautical Society and QINETIQ Australia, and a member of the Industry Advisory Board for the Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics at Deakin University.

In 2017, Margaret was appointed the Chair of the Northern Territory Government Strategic Advisory Board and the Northern Territory Defence and National Security Advocate. Margaret is also a Director of Chief Executive Women.

Margaret commenced her professional career as a military logistician with the Royal Australian Air Force after completing a Business Degree at the University of South Queensland. She also graduated with a Master of Business Logistics from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1997.

On promotion to Wing Commander in February 1998, Margaret was appointed Staff Officer Logistics Program Management at Headquarters Logistics Command. Her exceptional service in that post was recognised when she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 2000 for outstanding achievement in the field of inventory management in support of military aviation.

In June 2000 she was selected for the prestigious exchange post with the United States Air Force Logistics Staff in the Pentagon. Her service with the US Air Force was recognised with the United States Meritorious Service Medal.

In January 2009 she was appointed as Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy. In December 2009 she was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal and posted to the position of Commander, Joint Logistics. She was responsible for developing and implementing the $2.4 billion logistics reform program, a major initiative of the 2009 Australian Defence White Paper. 

In 2009, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for exceptional service to the Royal Australian Air Force and Australian Defence Force in the field of logistics strategic planning as Director of Logistics Support Agency–Air Force and Director General Strategic Logistics, Joint Logistics Command.

Following her retirement from the permanent Air Force, Margaret continued her executive career as the CEO and Managing Director of Air Services Australia; the air navigation and air traffic management organisation for Australia. There, she led significant transformation in air safety, air navigation technology and cultural change. She has subsequently pursued a career as a Non-Executive Director.

Margaret’s expertise is in defence, national security, transport and logistics, aviation and aerospace, cultural change and organisational transformation.

In addition to her business degree, Margaret holds a Master of Business Studies (Logistics) and a Master of Arts (Strategic Studies). She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Royal Aeronautical Society. In 2012 Margaret was a finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards and was included in the AFR 100 Women of Influence.

Margaret in the proud mother of twins Alexandra and Lachlan, and her hobbies include gardening and travelling with her partner Michael.


Colonel Christopher P. Ingleton, Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation

Colonel Christopher P. Ingletonis the Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation, US Embassy Canberra, Australia. As the Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation, he leads the US and Australia cooperative planning, development, and execution of security cooperation and capability development to meet US strategic goals and partnership objectives.

Prior to arriving to Australia, he led foreign military sales and security assistance execution for Iraqi Air Defense, Air Force, and Navy capability development at the US Embassy Baghdad. He reviewed DOD and DOS interagency security assistance documents and coordinated US Government equities with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and Iraqi military Services.

Prior to joining the security assistance enterprise, Col Ingleton was the Senior Military Assistant to the Director of OSD Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) where he managed all staff functions and advised the Director on utilization of assigned forces to ensure effective collaboration and integration with other OSD offices. Also, as a Senior Military Evaluator in DOT&E, he conducted oversight of the adequacy of operational test and evaluation for major defense acquisition programs and reported their results to the Secretary of Defense and Congress. Previously, Col Ingleton was the Branch Chief for the Headquarters Air Force Command and Control, Air Traffic Control, and Tactical Air Control Party Requirements. Prior to arriving at the Pentagon, he was Commander of the 8th Weapons Squadron at the United States Air Force Weapons School. He led 22 hand-selected Instructor Air Battle Managers, Instructor Electronic Warfare Officers, and Instructor Weapons Directors in integrated command and control and electronic warfare operations and “graduate-level” advanced flying, tactics, and cross-domain integration. Also, he was Chief of Theater Air Control Systems at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. He was responsible for functional management, training, and program element management of PACAF’s AWACS, GTACS, Air Defense Sector, and Contingency Response Groupunits.

Colonel Ingleton received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned in 1995. Since completing Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training, he has served as E-3 Instructor Senior Director, Master Control and Reporting Center Evaluator Senior Director, and Air Defense Aggressor. Colonel Ingleton has participated in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, ANACONDA, NOBLE EAGLE, SOUTHERN WATCH, and NORTHERN WATCH.
He is a Senior Air Battle Manager with over 1,800 hours in the E-3.