EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW - 69 Smooth sailing The , with Vice-Admiral Barrett at the helm, is recapitalising and moving into the future.

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JenniferBUSINESS Westacott on surviving and thriving KEYSTONE'S RICHARD FACIONI BLACKMORES' CHRISTINE HOLGATE theceomagazine.com t the young age of 17, Vice-Admiral Tim Barrett joined the navy ISSN 2201-876X TOUGH MUDDER'S WILL DEAN 32

PLUS: VOLVO'S XC90 • HOTEL DEBRETT • HOME ENTERTAINING 9 772201 876005 $19.95 incl. GST. Issue 54, February 2016 straight out of school for some excitement. Back then, 40 years ago, As featured in he never imagined he would advance through the ranks to become The CEO Magazine the Chief of the Royal Australian Navy. For more info visit theceomagazine.com A “I’ve been in the navy for nearly 40 years, but I had a non-traditional path to this leadership role,” Tim explains. “I started my career at sea, but then moved into aviation as well. I’ve been flying for a good part of my career, and as a consequence of that I haven’t followed what might be considered a typical path.”

Tim has held a number of impressive command positions: as the Commanding Officer of the helicopter squadron, a naval aviation establishment, and the navy’s . And to diversify still further, he’s been the Commander of Border Protection Command, which is a government agency managing maritime security around the nation, and the Commander of the Australian Fleet.

“I have always enjoyed my work,” he says. “I have never had a job that I haven’t found satisfaction in completing. And as a result of being at sea and also flying, I have had some extraordinary but also quite demanding and exciting roles. I’ve had a career that’s given me all of those things that someone at 17 would hope for, in terms of travel, excitement, and even landing a helicopter on a ship at night. My career has provided me all of those highlights, and I haven’t had to chase them— they just come with the job, and to me that’s been extraordinarily satisfying.”

Tim was appointed Chief of Navy in June 2014, following the retirement of previous Vice-Admiral . With renewed investment in navy equipment and Vice-Admiral Tim Barrrett Royal Australian Navy assets, his main focus since coming into the role has been to ensure that Headquarters in Canberra, AU processes run smoothly during an intense overhaul of the navy. 15,000 employees 70 - EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW - 71

“I would like history to recall this time and say it was a golden period for the navy. History will at least recall that we fully explored the opportunities presented to become a very agile and innovative organisation.” - Vice-Admiral Tim Barrett The other major focus for Tim has been “The navy is on a path to recapitalise its “Our training is first class in most areas,” on revitalisation of the navy. The entire force,” he explains. “My focus has Tim says. “We are an organisation that defence forces are often seen as been to ensure that we introduce the new accepts people at the start with a view Tim believes that this is what the younger traditional, unmoving organisations, equipment that has been given to us, and that we will train them for a whole generation expects to see from an agile and Tim wants to change that by that we bring it into service in the career which could be their entire and high-performing organisation. “The encouraging a shift in culture. “The navy manner in which the government lifetime. And I am seeking to embrace, issue for us is that this sort of training is has, for some time, been acknowledging expects. That includes ensuring that we particularly with our new ships that will expensive, so we invest in our people that although we are a very traditional appropriately train and qualify our be coming online, that we exploit all the early on and seek to keep that organisation, we are moving into a people to use that equipment. In a contemporary methods for trading. We investment for as long as we can. I need contemporary environment.” relatively short time, we need to deliver a have already used simulation and to make sure that we reach the point of complete recapitalisation of the navy in ambulation to some extent, but I am return on investments so that we are Tim is acutely aware that in this new four years, as opposed to just accepting educating the Australian public as to why accordance with government seeking to really enhance that and push able to be as agile in our training as we environment organisations need to be that we continue to do the same thing we we have a navy, as a way of encouraging requirements. It’s a huge task to deliver. that side of things.” are in our operations.” agile and innovative if they are to remain have always done. more people to think about the navy as a relevant and indeed enticing to the next career. So often, we sail over the horizon generation. “We have a cultural program “I am finding a great focus, because from and are forgotten. So I have gone to happening now, to try and drive people’s a cultural perspective we have been great lengths in my public speeches to thinking around innovation. We are asking people for quite some time to explain what the navy does and why we trying to change how they might think differently, to innovate, and to take are here.” SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS DEMAND traditionally view a military organisation. charge in all situations. But there wasn’t With this program, I need to ensure that I the focus you would expect of a good Simultaneously, Tim needs to ensure that SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATED focus our people’s attention over a period organisation. Now, because we have got those who are currently serving in the of time because there is so much work so much to do with the recapitalisation, navy get satisfaction out of their service that needs to be done.” my mantra is that we need to turn theory so that they are excited and stay a little MISSION SYSTEMS. into practice. The project is meant to longer. “Because the navy is moving into a Tim needs his people to understand that drive people’s attention to use all of those new era, it’s an exciting time, and after Learn more at lockheedmartin.com.au they have to do the hard work, and that it values and behaviours for a distinct the recapitalisation it will be a completely won’t be done for them. “I aligned the purpose and outcome.” different organisation,” he says. period of the plan to my tenure as the Chief of Navy, so that I have held myself One of the challenges for Tim with this Ultimately, Tim’s highest hopes are that accountable for achieving all of this,” Tim new vision for the navy is recruitment. history will look fondly on what he says. “That’s really meant to focus Despite large responsibilities being on the believes is a revitalisation of the Royal everyone’s mind on what they do when cards, the number of personnel is quite Australian Navy. “I would like history they come to work every day for the next small, so Tim needs to ensure that new to recall this time and say it was a men and women are joining the service golden period for the navy. History every day. “We are a relatively small will at least recall that we fully “Lockheed Martin partners with the Royal Australian Navy on the delivery of integrated and interoperable organisation, with only 14,000 people, explored the opportunities presented technologies to meet Australia’s unique maritime which is smaller than the New South to become a very agile and innovative requirements. Together we are harnessing local innovation and talent to ensure Australia remains at Wales state police force,” Tim says. “Yet organisation—an organisation that the leading edge of defence innovation.” - Raydon we have global responsibilities. So one of looked forward rather than sat still Gates, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin, Australia and New Zealand the roles that I have had to take on is and was tied to tradition.”

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