Upcoming events

    • 12 Aug 2025
    • 12:15 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Boathouse by the Lake, ACT
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    Admiral David Johnston AC RAN

    Chief of Defence Force 



    Admiral David Johnston AC RAN

    Admiral Johnston joined the Royal Australian Naval College as a junior entry Cadet Midshipman in 1978. Graduating as a Seaman Officer in 1982, he later specialised as a Principal Warfare Officer.

    He was appointed Chief of the Defence Force on 10 July 2024. He has extensive experience across a range of leadership, maritime and joint operations, training and capability management appointments in Australia and overseas.

    Admiral Johnston’s senior command appointments include Commanding Officer of HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01), HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06), Commander Border Protection Command, Chief of Joint Operations, and Vice Chief of the Defence Force.

    His operational experience includes Operation RELEX (2002), Operation QUICKSTEP in Fiji (2006), Operation RESOLUTE (2007) and Operation SLIPPER (2010).

    Admiral Johnston’s honours and awards include his appointment as Member of the Order of Australia (2012), advancement to Officer of the Order of Australia (2018) and Companion of the Order of Australia (2022) ‘for eminent service to the Australian Defence Force through strategic stewardship and capability engagement.’

    • 18 Sep 2025
    • 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
    • Gandel Hall, National Gallery of Australia, ACT
    Register

       The topic and program will be available shortly.

      • 18 Nov 2025
      • 12:15 PM - 2:30 PM
      • Boathouse by the Lake, ACT
      Register

      Speaker details will be available shortly.

    Past events

    22 May 2025 Williams Foundation Conference: The Imperative for Cost Effectiveness in Multi-domain Operations
    01 May 2025 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with Abi Bradshaw CSC
    05 Mar 2025 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with Samir B. Mehta, L3Harris
    25 Feb 2025 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with The Hon. Kim Beazley AC
    21 Nov 2024 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with Senator the Hon David Fawcett, Senator for South Australia
    30 Oct 2024 2024 Annual General Meeting
    26 Sep 2024 Williams Foundation Conference: Enhancing and Accelerating the Integrated Force: An Operational Perspective
    29 Aug 2024 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with VADM Justin Jones AO, CSC, RAN
    31 Jul 2024 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with Ed Zoiss, President Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris Technologies
    23 May 2024 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with GPCAPT Brett Williams
    10 May 2024 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with Air Chief Marshal The Lord Peach KG GBE KCB DL
    11 Apr 2024 Conference: The Multi-domain Requirements of an Australian Maritime Strategy
    22 Feb 2024 Williams Foundation Errol McCormack Lunch with AIRMSHL Leon Phillips OAM
    30 Nov 2023 Errol McCormack Lunch with The Hon Kim Beazley AC
    25 Oct 2023 2023 Annual General Meeting
    27 Sep 2023 Conference: The Enterprise Requirements of an Australian Multi-Domain Strike Capability
    31 Aug 2023 Errol McCormack Lunch with Chris Deeble AO, CSC
    13 Jun 2023 Errol McCormack Lunch - Tom Hamilton, DEPSEC Defence Strategic Review Implementation
    30 Mar 2023 Conference: Sharpening the Edge of Australia’s National Deterrence Capability
    23 Feb 2023 Errol McCormack Lunch: MAJGEN Mick Ryan, AM (Ret'd)
    14 Feb 2023 Errol McCormack Lunch: Thomas Jones, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems
    28 Nov 2022 Errol McCormack Lunch: National Security at Faster than 5x the Speed of Sound - Steve Walker, Lockheed Martin
    09 Nov 2022 Williams Lunch: Timely Perspectives on Indo-Pacific Security, ADM Phil Davidson, USN (ret.)
    26 Oct 2022 2022 Annual General Meeting
    28 Sep 2022 Conference: Enhancing the Lethality and Survivability of the Integrated Force
    31 Aug 2022 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: Dr Miles Apperley, ANSTO
    01 Jun 2022 Errol McCormack Members Lunch: The Contribution of F-35A to Australian Air Combat Power
    24 Mar 2022 Conference: Accelerating the Transition to a Networked, Integrated Force
    02 Mar 2022 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: CDRE Andrew Quinn RAN
    01 Dec 2021 Conference: The Requirements of a Sovereign Defence Space Capability
    23 Nov 2021 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: The ADF’s Strategy - Where is the force going? Where are the gaps? What are the priorities? AVM Steven ‘Zed’ Roberton, DSC, AM
    18 Nov 2021 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: The ADF’s Strategy - Where is the force going? Where are the gaps? What are the priorities? AVM Steven ‘Zed’ Roberton, DSC, AM
    05 Oct 2021 Annual General Meeting
    19 May 2021 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: Lessons for Australia’s FADT policy from COVID with Senator the Hon. David Fawcett
    08 Apr 2021 Conference: Next Generation Autonomous Systems
    25 Feb 2021 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: The Australian Defence Force’s Current Operational Commitments - LTGEN Greg Bilton AO, CSC
    01 Dec 2020 Errol McCormack Members' Lunch with AIRCDRE Chris Westwood (Ret'd): Characterising the 5th Gen Air Battle Space
    28 Oct 2020 Annual General Meeting
    20 May 2020 Errol McCormack Lunch Series
    26 Feb 2020 Errol McCormack Lunch Series: Air Marshal Warren McDonald, AM, CSC
    12 Nov 2019 Williams Foundation Lunch: Advanced Attack Helicopters in the Amphibious Role with LtGen George J. Trautman
    24 Oct 2019 Seminar: The Requirements of Fifth Generation Manoeuvre
    22 Oct 2019 2019 Annual General Meeting
    07 Aug 2019 Williams Foundation Lunch: Coalition Warfighting and Pacific AOR Interoperability with LTG Michael Oates (Ret'd)
    16 Jul 2019 Williams Foundation Lunch: Royal Australian Navy: Future vision and Headmark 2022 with VADM Michael Noonan AO RAN, Chief of Navy
    07 May 2019 Williams Foundation Members Lunch: Modernising the ADF in a time of Accelerated Warfare - Major General Kathryn Toohey, AM, CSC
    11 Apr 2019 Seminar: Hi-Intensity Operations and Sustaining Self Reliance
    12 Feb 2019 Williams Foundation Lunch: 5th Generation Workforce with AIRCDRE Geoffrey Harland AM, CSC, DSM
    13 Nov 2018 Williams Foundation Lunch: Experiences of an Australian CAOC Director during Operation Okra with Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Meredith, AM, DSM
    30 Oct 2018 2018 Annual General Meeting
    23 Aug 2018 Seminar: The Imperative for an Independent Deterrent: A Joint Strike Seminar
    07 Aug 2018 Williams Foundation Lunch: Australian Defence Industry Small, Medium Enterprises; Plan Jericho Innovation and Opportunity
    08 May 2018 Williams Foundation Lunch with Air Commodore Joe ‘Vinny’ Iervasi, AM: Air Warfare Centre — Jericho in Action
    22 Mar 2018 Seminar: The Requirements of High Intensity Warfare
    13 Feb 2018 Williams Foundation Lunch: Air C2: Lessons from OKRA - Air Commodore Robert Chipman, CSC
    31 Oct 2017 2017 Annual General Meeting
    23 Aug 2017 Seminar: A New Approach, and Attitude, to Electronic Warfare In Australia
    02 Aug 2017 Williams Foundation Lunch: Joint Integration: A Practioner's Perspective - VADM David Johnston AM, RAN
    19 Jul 2017 Williams Foundation Lunch: Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Lunch with Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, AC Chief of the Defence Force
    20 Jun 2017 Williams Foundation Lunch: A Learning Curve for the Swiss Air Force
    11 Apr 2017 Williams Foundation Seminar: Air / Sea / Land: Integrated Force 2030
    15 Feb 2017 Williams Foundation Lunch: Air Vice-Marshal Mel Hupfeld AO, DSC
    25 Oct 2016 2016 Annual General Meeting
    04 Oct 2016 Williams Foundation Lunch: Connecting the ADF: Challenge or Opportunity? Three decades of insights and lessons learned
    13 Sep 2016 Williams Foundation Members Lunch: 'Jericho - an Update'
    23 Aug 2016 Williams Foundation Members Lunch: 'Where to with CASG' with Kim Gillis
    10 Aug 2016 Williams Foundation Seminar: New Thinking on Air-Sea
    17 Mar 2016 Williams Foundation Seminar: New Thinking on Air-Land
    23 Feb 2016 Williams Foundation Dinner with Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan, United States Air Force
    16 Feb 2016 Williams Foundation Members Luncheon: Air Vice-Marshal Warren McDonald, AM, CSC - RAAF Air Mobility
    08 Sep 2015 Williams Foundation Members Luncheon: RADM Tony Dalton Romeo Introduction into Service
    06 Aug 2015 RAAF Plan Jericho Half Day Public Seminar
    10 Jun 2015 Williams Foundation Dinner with Chief of Air Force
    03 Jun 2015 LVC Seminar
    17 Apr 2015 Symposium: Integrating Innovative Airpower
    15 Apr 2015 Williams Foundation Members Luncheon: AIRCDRE Steve "Zed" Roberton AM
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