DERT appoints retired Australian Army Lieutenant General John Caligrari AO, DSC as a Non-Executive Director
12 September 2016 – DERT is proud to announce the appointment of retired Australian Army Lieutenant General John Caligari as a Non-Executive Director to the Board of Directors.
Drawing on his extensive experience in risk management, strategy, planning, project management and command and leadership both within Defence and without, John has quickly embedded himself as a highly valued member of the DERT team.
A skilled problem solver, John provides a unique perspective in terms of engaging with and adding maximum value to DERT’s operations. His high level strategic knowledge and hard won capacity for providing ‘big picture’ oversight on large scale projects are invaluable in guiding the development of innovative solutions for DERT’s forward thinking clients.
John’s appointment to the Board also offers valuable support and guidance for DERT’s upcoming bid to serve as prime contractor on the Defence Site Maribyrnong remediation project. The DSM works are currently at the Expression of Interest stage as Defence seeks to shortlist appropriate companies for a proposed 2017 tender program.
Project Director and fellow board member Peter Murphy said “John’s approachable, level headed nature combined with his wealth of practical experience in some of the most complex and challenging environments imaginable provides the entire DERT team with a trusted and experienced mentor and advisor. His depth of experience at the real life interface between Defence and Industry will be invaluable as DERT looks to build innovative solutions for our clients’ complex problems”.
A Strategy and Leadership Consultant, LTGEN John Caligari has a wealth of experience in demanding environments, especially on operational service overseas and at the highest levels in the Department of Defence. His last seven years in particular have been at the interface between industry and Defence, particularly as Chairman of the Rapid Prototype Development and Evaluation Program Board.
Caligari said “seeing firsthand DERT’s high standards, professionalism and strong organisational culture made accepting the appointment an easy decision for me. I was particularly impressed by the direct influence of the leadership down through the company and the responsiveness and confidence this enabled in decision making down to the lowest levels.”
“I’m looking forward to working with the team to design and implement truly innovative remediation and deconstruction strategies, particularly on the many Defence sites where contamination, environmental and heritage issues are particularly complex and require careful management in conjunction with Defence.”
