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Adelaide-based defence and national security company Aurizn has appointed Cher Min Teo as its new head of business development, bolstering the company’s executive leadership as it seeks to expand its footprint across Australian and allied defence programs.
The appointment comes as Aurizn positions itself for growth in next-generation mission solutions, spanning engineering, professional services and product-based capability delivery to Defence, prime contractors and government customers.
Teo brings more than 20 years of international experience across the aerospace and defence sectors, with a background that combines engineering, operational service and senior business development leadership.
His career has focused on translating complex technical capability into successful capture strategies and sustainable long-term growth.
In his new role, Teo will be responsible for shaping and executing Aurizn’s business development strategy, leading a specialist team tasked with building a strong and disciplined pipeline aligned to Defence priorities.
This includes positioning Aurizn as a partner of choice for the Australian Defence Force, major defence primes and allied government customers.
Aurizn chief executive Rebecca Humble said the appointment reflected the company’s intent to deepen customer engagement and accelerate growth in its core markets.
“Cher Min brings a rare combination of deep technical credibility, commercial acumen and global defence market experience,” Humble said. “His leadership in major capture campaigns and his ability to build trusted relationships with customers will be critical as Aurizn continues to grow its footprint.”
Prior to joining Aurizn, Teo was campaign director for capability assurance, training and simulation at QinetiQ Australia, where he led complex capture activities and senior stakeholder engagement across Defence and government.
He has also held senior roles at Silentium Defence and Nova Systems and began his career as an engineer with Pratt & Whitney before serving operationally with the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Teo said he was joining Aurizn at an important point in the company’s development, “Aurizn has built deep capability across the mission life cycle, enabling it to tackle some of the most complex challenges facing Defence.”
“I’m looking forward to working with the team to strengthen partnerships with Defence and industry, pursue strategic growth opportunities, and deliver products and services that genuinely matter to Australia and our allies,” Teo added.
He holds a master of engineering in aeronautics from Imperial College London, along with executive education from Harvard Business School, Oxford Saïd Business School and London Business School.
His experience spans research and development services, engineering and professional services, and product-based defence solutions, supported by a strong understanding of the Australian Defence procurement system and Australian Standard for Defence Contracting-level tendering.
Aurizn said the appointment underlined its focus on disciplined growth, strong governance and the delivery of mission-ready capability through collaboration, innovation and operational excellence, as Defence demand continues to evolve in an increasingly complex strategic environment.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
