The gala event – held by Space Connect’s sister brand Defence Connect – saw 30 trophies presented and included an address by the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
Other individual winners included representatives from DroneShield, Northrop Grumman Australia, and defence contractor Rohde & Schwarz Australia. Group award winners included Downer Defence, Babcock, and archTIS.
Defence Connect editor Liam Garman said the evening was an opportunity to recognise those who have made a change in Defence and defence industry.
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“There is no doubt in my mind that Australia’s defence industry is one of the nation’s most vibrant sectors,” he said.
“From those developing disruptive military technologies through to those providing advanced estate and facility management, all of our finalists have played a significant role in ensuring that Australian warfighters are able to safely and effectively achieve their task.”
In total, this year’s Australian Defence Industry Awards saw 144 finalists competing for 29 individual and group awards, with one winner selected for the prestigious Excellence Award.
Dr Marian-Andrei Rizoiu – senior lecturer leading the behavioural data science lab at the University of Technology Sydney – was the recipient of the top accolade after being named Academic of the Year earlier in the evening.
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The event was supported by principal partner KBR, platinum partner JLL, gold partners Investment NSW and Ventia, and gold and dessert partner Indigenous Defence & Infrastructure Consortium.
Click here to view the full list of winners and finalists.
More than 800 members of the defence industry who attended the ceremony heard from ambassador Myroshnychenko about the importance of the strong relationship between Australia and Ukraine.
It presented a timely opportunity for the ambassador to speak directly to the defence industry.
The Australian defence industry has been providing materiel support to Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s invasion, with the war raging on for over 18 months.
Australia has supplied 120 of the domestically built Bushmaster-protected mobility vehicles as part of approximately $890 million in overall assistance provided to Ukraine.
Momentum Markets’ government relations manager, Steve Kuper, said it was an honour to host ambassador Myroshnychenko.
“His address hammered home the reality of how important a sovereign defence industry is for our national security,” he said.
“Ambassador Myroshnychenko was joined by a strong representation from a number of high-profile diplomatic missions from Canberra. This highlights the prestige with which the Australian Defence Industry Awards is held.”
“It also demonstrates the unprecedented level of access Defence Connect has as a brand with Australia’s global partners and allies.”
Throughout the evening, attendees were treated to the comedy stylings of Australian comedian, writer, and satirist Mark Humphries.
They also celebrated the achievements of their colleagues while networking with leaders of the defence industry and their peers.
The Australian Defence Industry Awards has become the most anticipated awards program of the year.
It provides national recognition to the top businesses and professionals in the defence industry, from primes, small-to-medium enterprises (SME), academic institutions and associations to high-performing individuals such as defence executives, Indigenous and female leaders, students, scientists, technicians, and academics.
It has become a desirable accolade for individuals and businesses seeking to forge their role in the defence industry and contribute to its transformation by embracing capability building.
Defence Connect would like to thank all of its partners for their invaluable support, including principal partner KBR, platinum partner JLL, gold partners Investment NSW and Ventia, gold and dessert partner Indigenous Defence & Infrastructure Consortium, supporting partners Analytical Progression, Babcock, Industry Capability Network, Killara Services, Luerssen Australia, Sitzler, and UNSW Canberra, dessert partner Willyama Services, research partner Agile Market Intelligence, coin and charity partner Bravery Trust, and charity partners Legacy, Invictus Australia, and Soldier On.
Click here to view the full list of winners and finalists.
For more information about the awards program, click here.
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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