In brief
Austal Limited has appointed Major General (Retired) Kathryn Toohey AM CSC to its board as a non-executive director. The company says Toohey brings experience in program management, government procurement, digital and technology, developed through senior roles in the Department of Defence and Australian Defence Force. Her previous responsibilities included Army equipment and infrastructure modernisation and capability integration across the three services. Austal Chairman John Rothwell said her defence experience would be relevant as the company prepares to deliver LAND8710 landing craft contracts for the Australian Army and develops its shipbuilding relationship with the Commonwealth of Australia. Toohey also holds directorships and advisory roles in several organisations. Her education includes qualifications in business administration, defence studies, information technology and electrical engineering.
Key takeaways
- Austal appointed Kathryn Toohey as a non-executive director.
- Toohey previously held senior roles in the Department of Defence and Australian Defence Force.
- Austal cited her experience as relevant to LAND8710 landing craft contracts for the Australian Army.
- Toohey also serves as a director or adviser to several other organisations.
Austal Limited (ASX:ASB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kathryn Toohey AM CSC as a Non-Executive Director of the Company.
February 8, 2024 -- Kathryn brings strong program management, government procurement, digital and technology expertise to Austal, through her experience in senior executive roles in the Department of Defence, including Head of Land Capability with the Australian Army, responsible for the modernisation and sustainment of all Army equipment and infrastructure including helicopters, tanks, communication systems and watercraft.
In her last appointment within the Australian Defence Force Headquarters she was responsible for integrating capability across the three Services as part of the Vice Chief of the Defence Force Group.
Kathryn was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2017 for "exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force in the fields of capability development and education".
Austal Chairman John Rothwell said he was delighted to welcome Major General (Ret’d) Toohey to the Company. “Kathryn’s valuable experience with the Department of Defence, and particularly the Australian Army, will benefit Austal significantly as we prepare to deliver the LAND8710 Landing Craft (Medium and Heavy) contracts for the Australian Army,” Mr Rothwell said.
“On behalf of the Board, I warmly welcome Kathryn to Austal and look forward to working with her as we continue to develop Austal’s strategic shipbuilding partnership with the Commonwealth of Australia, and deliver new landing craft capability for the Australian Army.”
Kathryn is also a Non-Executive Director of Defence Health Ltd, Cylent International Pty Ltd, Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants (a division of the Australian Football League) and ACT Basketball. She is also a member of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) Executive Council and provides a range of advisory and consulting services.
Kathryn holds an Executive Master in Business Administration (Complex Project Management), a Master of Management in Defence Studies; a Graduate Diploma in Information Technology and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Honours). She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the INSEAD Advanced Management Programme.
This ASX announcement has been approved and authorised for release by John Rothwell, Austal Non-executive Chairman.
Major General (Retired) Kathryn Toohey AM CSC has joined the Austal Limited Board as a Non-Executive Director.
- END -
Media Contact:
Cameron Morse, FTI Consulting
+61 433 886 871
[email protected]
FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact:Austal
Phone: 61 8 9410 1111
Fax: 61 8 9410 2564
Email: [email protected]
If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours.
Questions around this news
Who is Kathryn Toohey, and what role has she taken at Austal?
The announcement says Major General (Retired) Kathryn Toohey joined Austal Limited’s board as a Non-Executive Director on February 8, 2024. Her prior senior Australian Defence roles included leading Army land capability and serving in Defence Headquarters, where she worked on coordinating capability across the three Services.
What experience does Toohey bring to the board?
Her background includes program management, government purchasing, and digital and technology work. In the Army, she oversaw efforts involving the upkeep and modernisation of equipment and infrastructure, including aircraft, vehicles, communications systems, and watercraft. The release also notes that she received a Member of the Order of Australia honour in 2017 for service related to capability development and education.
Why does Austal say Toohey’s appointment is relevant to its work for the Australian Army?
Chairman John Rothwell linked Toohey’s Defence experience to the company’s planned delivery of LAND8710 Landing Craft (Medium and Heavy) contracts for the Australian Army. He also said the company intends to continue its shipbuilding relationship with the Commonwealth of Australia and provide new landing craft capability to the Army.
What other board and advisory roles does Toohey hold?
The release lists her as a director of Defence Health Ltd, Cylent International Pty Ltd, GWS Giants and ACT Basketball. It also says she serves on the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Executive Council and undertakes advisory and consulting work. Her qualifications include postgraduate business and defence studies, information technology, and electrical engineering.
Earlier from Austal Limited
- AUSTAL USA DELIVERS 14 TH EXPEDITIONARY FAST TRANSPORT TO UNITED STATES NAVY
- AUSTAL USA RECEIVES A$1.28 BILLION EXPEDITIONARY MEDICAL SHIP (EMS) CONTRACT AWARD FROM UNITED STATES NAVY
- AUSTAL AUSTRALIA DELIVERS 6TH EVOLVED CAPE-CLASS PATROL BOAT TO ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY
- AUSTAL AUSTRALIA DELIVERS 17TH GUARDIAN-CLASS PATROL BOAT
- AUSTAL USA AWARDED US$91.5 MILLION LANDING CRAFT UTILITY (LCU) CONTRACT BY US NAVY
