Technology, Norms and the Future of War

Speaker profile

Mick Ryan AM has more than thirty years' experience in dynamic groups that have overcome adverse circumstances to solve complex institutional problems.Mick spent his early career in the military, building a foundation of leadership and management experience. He completed appointments in operations, training and organisational development. He served in East Timor, Indonesia, the United States, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as in an exchange posting with the US Marine Corps. He was seconded to the Pentagon where he worked on strategy for the US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Obama administration. Mick also led large-scale organisational reform programs that included the 2008 Adaptive Army program, the 2016-17 reform of Australian Army training and education, as well as Defence-wide education and training from 2018-2021.

Mick was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his leadership of Australia's first reconstruction task force in Afghanistan. He holds master's degrees in operational studies, public policy and military studies from the Marine Corps University and from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his 35-year career with the Australian Army and transitioned to the Army Reserve as a Major General on 27 February 2022. His book, War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict, was published in February 2022 by USNI Books.