Mal Wise is an experienced executive leader with a strong background in the Maritime Sector and 38 years of service in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at Operational and Strategic levels. He has a strong commitment to building effective teams in order to realise the potential of high performing organisations.

Mal commanded three Australian Warships during his service in the RAN and recently completed two years as Commander of Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE), which is Australia’s flagship, whole-of-Government Task Group focused on international engagement in the South and Southeast Asian region. Prior to that he was Chief of Operations at Maritime Border Command, where he led the combined Defence and Commonwealth Law Enforcement activities in Australia’s maritime security area of responsibility, encompassing 11 percent of the world’s oceans.

He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2005 for services as Executive Officer of HMAS Darwin during the second Gulf War and was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 in recognition of his leadership in counterterrorism and counter-narcotics operations in the Western Indian Ocean as Commander of Combined Task Force 150, headquartered in Bahrain.

Mal is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and was the Navy’s Senior Nuclear Pilot in 2004-2006. He worked closely with the Australia’s commercial maritime sector, Ports Australia, and Government agencies during the nation’s implementation of the International Ship and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) code.

He holds a Bachelor of Science (UNSW), a Graduate Diploma in Security and Strategy (US Naval War College), a Master’s Degree in International Relations (Salve Regina University), and a Graduate Certificate in National Security Policy (ANU).

Mal has a strong commitment to the Reconciliation agenda and continues to serve in a Reserve Capacity as the (inaugural) Senior Navy Indigenous Champion for the Royal Australian Navy.