Deputy Secretary
Brendan was appointed as Deputy Secretary Critical Infrastructure and Protective Security on 14 August.
As Deputy Secretary Critical Infrastructure and Protective Security, Brendan leads the Group responsible for bringing together critical infrastructure and transport security policy, regulation and partnerships, background checking under the AusCheck scheme, strengthening our national resilience, protective security policy and protective security for parliamentarians and high office holders.
Before taking up his current position, Brendan was Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. As Ambassador, he led Australia’s international engagement on cyber affairs and critical technology issues, while delivering cyber capacity building, crisis response and building resilience across our region.
Brendan has had a distinguished career in cyber affairs, including previously leading the Cyber and Critical Technology Coordination Centre at the Department of Home Affairs. He also served as the First Assistant Secretary for Digital and Technology Security Policy in Home Affairs. In those roles he provided national leadership and international engagement on cyber security strategy and coordination, the security of critical and emerging technologies and safety and security online.
Brendan held a senior role at Australia’s Embassy in the United States, leading engagement in the United States and across the Americas region on national security, cyber security, critical technology, criminal justice, emergency management, and immigration and border functions.
Prior to the US, Brendan was the Assistant Secretary for the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa in Home Affairs’ International Division. In that role, he led the department’s engagement with governments across those regions, as well as with the United Nations and other multilateral institutions. Brendan was also posted to Amman, Jordan, leading the Department’s largest refugee mission and relations with governments across the region.
Brendan holds a Master of Public Policy (Economic Policy) from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in political science and literature from the University of Melbourne.
