Key Staff
Mr Peter Croser: Chief Executive Officer
Peter joined as the full time CEO of the Defence Systems Innovation Centre (DSIC) on 19 April 2010. DSIC focuses on core and relevant capabilities in Systems Engineering, Systems Integration, Communications and Network Engineering, and specific applications for complex projects.
Peter is an experienced CEO and leader in Industry, and is a Chartered Practicing Engineer. He is an Adjunct Senior Fellow in the Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre at Adelaide University developing curricula and teaching Masters in Systems Engineering and Project Management. Peter is also the Deputy Chairman at Foundation Daw Park, which supports world-class medical research and patient care for veterans.
During the period 2008 to 2009, Peter was the Head of Engineering for the AEW&C (Wedgetail) project at BAE Systems in Edinburgh, South Australia. Peter was also the Electronic Warfare and Simulation Group Technical Authority, Design Engineer Authority for BAE Systems Australia and held a qualified Boeing Designated Engineering Authority under the RAAF technical regulations. Peter worked in Israel, USA and Australia on this critical program.
He was awarded the title of “Professional Engineer of the Year in SA” for 2006. During that period, Peter was the Managing Director of Gibbs & Cox Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gibbs & Cox Inc. Peter commenced with Gibbs & Cox in February 2006.
Peter was the Head of Industry Division within the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) from 2004 to February 2006. Whilst at the DMO, Peter managed the strategic Industry portfolio and the Defence Acquisition relationship between the Australian Defence Department and counterpart organisations in France, USA, UK, Italy, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand and Canada.
Peter was the Managing Director of CEA Technologies Pty Ltd until 31 March 2004 having joined the company in 1988. Peter served as a marine engineer officer in the Royal Australian Navy. His interests are flying and rebuilding warbirds, including Mustang (P51-D), Spitfire, Harvard and Chipmunk aircraft.
Born at Millicent, South Australia, Peter is married with two adult children, and three infant children. He lives in Hawthorn SA and was educated at Scotch College following which he completed the Bachelor of Technology Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the SAIT (University of SA) in 1974.
Dr Stephen Cook: Director Systems Engineering
- Stephen_dot_C_dot_Cook_at_unisa_dot_edu_dot_au
- +618 8302 3818
- +618 8302 5344
Dr Stephen Cook is the Director of the Defence and Systems Institute at the University of South Australia. He commenced his career in the telecommunications and aerospace industries in which he designed numerous innovative products that sold in volume. In the latter part of this period he was appointed project engineer and provided technical leadership for aerospace integration projects. After ten years he left industry to join the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) rising to Research Leader Military Information Networks responsible for all military communications and networking research and all related studies for the Australian Department of Defence. In 1997 he transferred to the university as the DSTO Professor of Systems Engineering and has led various defence research concentrations since. Prof Cook is a Past President of the Systems Engineering Society of Australia and his research interests include systems modelling, defence capability engineering, and identifying the theoretical basis for systems engineering.
Dr Bruce Northcote: Director Network Engineering
- bruce_dot_northcote_at_adelaide_dot_edu_dot_au
- +618 83036014
Dr Northcote was a PhD student and then a Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide’s Teletraffic Research Centre (TRC) from 1991 until 1994. Following several overseas appointments, he rejoined the TRC in October 2003 as a Senior Research Fellow, and in December 2009 was appointed the Director of the TRC and the Centre for Defence Communications and Information Networking.
From 1994 until 1996, Dr Northcote worked at Bellcore (NJ, USA) as a member of
the Network Services Performance and Control Group, specialising in the
performance analysis of telecommunications systems. Specifically, he was the
lead consultant in Signalling System Number 7 and Advanced Intelligent Network
congestion control research and Personal Communications Services performance
analysis. In 1996, he joined Ascom Nexion to develop a coordinated performance
benchmark test plan for multi-service switching platforms, including
Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Frame Relay and Internetworking. After acquisition
by Fujitsu, Dr Northcote was promoted to be a Consulting Engineer in Fujitsu
Nexion, in the Product Technologies and Standards department, working on
broadband technology assessment, product definition and standardization
activities for the Fujitsu broadband product range, actively participating in
various standards forums (IETF, ATMF, ANSI & ITU-T).
Prior to rejoining the TRC, he also undertook a number of consulting projects
for Vodafone Australia, Telstra, Telcordia (USA), Viridien (USA), and the
Victorian Department of Justice.
He has published over 20 refereed journal and conference papers, written numerous technical contributions for a variety of international standards bodies, is a senior member of the IEEE, was an accredited ATM Forum Ambassador for several years, and has lead an Australian delegation to the ITU-T at the United Nations in Geneva.
Mr Kim McCleery: Business Development Manager
Kim McCleery has more than 12 years experience as a senior Business Development manager in defence industry and State Government. Kim joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1970 as a Navigator and served in operational, training, command and capability development roles over 26 years retiring in 1997 as a Group Captain. During his Defence career, Kim specialised in Electronic Warfare.
After leaving the RAAF, Kim progressed through several business development roles covering C4ISREW, becoming the Manager, Business Development for Tenix Defence Electronic Systems Division responsible to the General Manager for all business development functions, including marketing and sales activities for the generation of new business, customer relationship and account management and, generation of bids and proposals.
In 2007, Kim joined Defence SA as the General Manager, Business Development responsible for business and workforce development functions, including identification of new opportunities to attract and grow industry capability in the State, work force development and relationship management with the Department of Defence, local and international industry, universities and industry associations. During this time, Kim was a member of the Board of the Defence Teaming Centre, Chair of the Center of Excellence in Defence and Industry Systems Capability Steering Group and member of the Centre for Defence Communications and Information Networks Steering Group.
Kim is a Past President of the Australian Chapter of the Association of Old Crows and was elected a Life Member of the AOC in 2008.