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Major General (retired) Andrew Bottrell has been appointed as a non-executive director with defence company Aurora Labs.
Major General Bottrell is a highly respected senior Defence leader with more than 39 years of distinguished service in the Australian Army and broader national security sector. He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1987, and throughout his career, he held increasingly complex command and staff appointments across the Army, the Joint Staff, and wider whole-of-government appointments.
In addition to operational deployments to Antarctica, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, he also served on exchange with the US Army and completed a senior executive industry secondment with multinational corporations in the UK and US, further strengthening his international and commercial acumen.
On promotion to Major General, he was appointed Commander of the Joint Agency Task Force for Operation Sovereign Borders, leading Australia's complex whole-of-government counter-people smuggling operation. His final appointment between 2019-2023 was as Head of Land Systems Division within the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, overseeing all acquisition in the Land Domain for the ADF, including the establishment of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise.
Major General Bottrell holds a Bachelor of Business and Master of Integrated Logistics Management from RMIT, A Master of Defence Studies from the University of Canberra, and a Master of Arts (Strategic Studies) from Deakin University, and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
Following his military career, Major General Bottrell founded Rockpool Partners, a boutique strategy and capital platform focusing on delivering national resilience outcomes across the pillars of National Security, critical infrastructure, and emergency management. He also serves as a part-time Industry Professor and Chair in Defence & Security Capabilities at Deakin University.
As a Non-Executive Director of Aurora Labs, Major General Bottrell will contribute independent strategic oversight and guidance across defence engagement, capability development pathways, government liaison and international partner alignment. Drawing on his extensive experience spanning senior military leadership, whole-of-government coordination and defence industry integration, he will support the Board in strengthening the Company's strategic positioning and advancing its growth initiatives within sovereign and allied defence markets, including working alongside a leading multi- national group and global authority in the development of complex weapon systems.
“Major General Bottrell brings a rare depth of strategic leadership and defence sector insight,” according to non-executive chairman David Trimboli.
“His understanding of capability delivery, cross-agency collaboration and operational imperatives will be invaluable as we pursue opportunities within defence programs and expand engagement with government, industry and allied partners.
“His appointment reflects our ongoing commitment strengthening governance, networks and reinforcing strategic expertise at the highest level.
“We look forward to leveraging his capabilities as we advance our growth trajectory across the broader defence ecosystem.”
