Gary Waters
Gary Waters retired from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as an Air Commodore in 2002, worked as a senior public servant in Defence for four years, and has worked with Jacobs Australia as Head of Strategy for the past five years.
Between 1985 and 1997, Gary completed his staff college training in the UK, taught at the RAAF Staff College, was a visiting fellow to The Australian National University, ran the Air Power Studies Centre, and served as Director of Capability Planning in the Australian Defence Headquarters.
From 1998 to 2005, Gary served as Head of the Australian Defence Staff (London), as Head of the Theatre Headquarters Project, and finally as Director General Operation Safe Base. As a public servant he was the inaugural Assistant Secretary Knowledge Planning in Defence, and then moved to be Assistant Secretary Information Strategy and Futures within the Office of the Chief Information Officer.
Since 2005 Gary has been Head of Strategy for Jacobs, in which capacity he also consults in the principal areas of strategy, capability development, cyber security, risk management, preparedness and logistics.
He has written thirteen books on doctrine, strategy, cyber security, and military history. His latest two books are ‘Australia and Cyber Warfare’ (with Professor Des Ball and Ian Dudgeon, 2008), and ‘Optimising Australia’s Response to the Cyber Challenge’ (with Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn, 2011).
He is a Fellow of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (graduating with majors in accounting and economics); a CPA; a graduate of the UK’s Royal Air Force Staff College; a graduate of the University of New South Wales, with an MA (Hons) in history; a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; and a graduate of The Australian National University with a PhD in political science and international relations.
He has been a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Vice President of the United Services Institute, and Inaugural Board Member and Treasurer of the Kokoda Foundation.