In this special compilation episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by multiple attendants of the Avalon International Airshow and Defence Exposition to discuss their roles in defence industry.

First to join the show is Air Marshal (Ret’d) Greg Bagwell, CB, CBE, to reflect on his 36 years in the RAF and discuss his current role as executive vice president of business development for Cobham. He will discuss his transition from uniform to the corporate defence sector, the need for education around air power and the similarities and synergies between the UK and Australian air force sectors.

Josh Polette, director of strategic initiatives with Thales Australia, is next to join the show and will discuss Thales’ immersion the space sector, including unpacking its rich history within the area, share his thoughts around the Australian Space Agency and some of the opportunities and challenges that will arise as a result.

Mark Burgess, the CEO and managing director at Quickstep Holdings, is next to join host Phil Tarrant. He previously joined the show when he was only two months into his current role to discuss his ambitious plans of reshaping the strategies and practices within the company. Burgess will share how Quickstep has achieved a huge uptick in productivity, the work that it is currently involved in, including its F-35 partnership, and share his tips for other SMEs looking to enter the global supply chain.

Finally, Doug Shaffer, the program manager for the MQ-4C Triton at Northrop Grumman, will discuss the program, compare the Global Hawk to the Triton, and talk about the proposals and bids that Northrop Grumman currently has underway. Shaffer will share his thoughts around comparable autonomous systems, the interest in the Triton outside of Australia and the different stakeholders that will benefit from the implementation of the technology.

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