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David Nockels, First Assistant Secretary Defence Trade, Regulation and AUKUS Advanced Capabilities Division, Department of Defence, has been confirmed as the first keynote speaker for the inaugural Australian Defence Industry Accelerator Summit to be held at the National Convention Centre on Thursday, 16 July.
Hosted in partnership with principal partner Commonwealth Bank, this dynamic one-day event will equip Australian defence businesses with actionable insights, practical strategies and invaluable industry connections to help navigate the evolving defence landscape, designed with small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in mind.
The event will showcase real-world pathways to strengthen domestic market presence, unlock international growth opportunities and position businesses to succeed in an increasingly competitive global defence sector.
In a major announcement, David Nockles from the Department of Defence has been confirmed as the event’s first keynote speaker, bringing deep expertise across defence trade, regulation and the rapidly evolving AUKUS advanced capabilities landscape.
Defence and Aerospace Lead, Momentum Media, Steve Kuper, welcomed First Assistant Secretary Nockles’ participation in the summit, saying: “We’re thrilled to welcome David Nockles as our first confirmed speaker. His experience across defence trade, regulation and AUKUS advanced capabilities will provide invaluable insights for Australian businesses looking to better understand the opportunities emerging across the defence sector.”
The summit will unite defence SME owners, senior executives and business development leaders with representatives from government agencies, defence primes, financial institutions and international partner organisations in what is shaping up to be one of the sector’s premier industry engagement events.
Backed by principal partner Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the program will feature an energetic mix of keynote presentations, hands-on workshops and structured networking sessions designed to help businesses navigate the increasingly complex defence ecosystem.
Kuper added: “This summit is about creating genuine opportunities for Australian defence SMEs to connect with decision makers, better understand the evolving defence landscape and position themselves for long-term growth both domestically and internationally.”
For more information, including buying tickets, click here.
Attendees will gain direct access to expertise spanning finance, export readiness, government support programs and sovereign industrial capability development, with dedicated focus areas, including the Office of Defence Industry Support (ODIS), Team Defence Australia and the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA).
The event is designed to provide SMEs with tangible outcomes, from practical guidance on finance, risk and growth strategies through to clearer pathways into prime contractor supply chains and export markets while fostering stronger long-term connections between industry, government and capital providers.
"We’re bringing together leaders from government, industry and finance to help SMEs navigate complexity, unlock new opportunities and build the partnerships needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive defence environment," Kuper added.
The involvement of Commonwealth Bank of Australia as principal partner highlights growing confidence across the financial sector in the future growth, resilience and strategic importance of Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base.
Additional speakers, program highlights and the full summit agenda are expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks as momentum continues to build around the event.
Further program details, including a detailed agenda and speaker line-up will be released in coming weeks. To buy tickets, click here.
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