Bringing Three Decades of Defence Expertise
Damien McLachlan has been appointed as the Field Chief Technology Officer at Kompozition, an Australian digital engineering company. The announcement was made on 3rd June 2026 from Canberra.
McLachlan brings over three decades of experience in defence engineering, having served in the Department of Defence for 31 years. His most recent role was Director General Defence Landworthiness, where he oversaw technical regulation for the Australian Defence Force’s land systems.
In his new role at Kompozition, McLachlan will work closely with defence and government clients, aligning the company’s technological capabilities with operational needs. His appointment is expected to enhance the delivery of defence programmes in Australia.
McLachlan’s Qualifications and Experience
McLachlan is a Chartered Professional Engineer and a Fellow of Engineers Australia. He holds a Masters of Laws from ANU, a Master of Systems Engineering, and a Bachelor of Engineering from UNSW, and a Bachelor of Science from Monash University.
Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in shaping Australia’s approach to engineering capability evaluation and regulation. His experience includes roles with the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and the former Defence Materiel Organisation.
Michael Ninness, CEO of Kompozition, commented on the appointment: “Damien’s appointment reflects a deliberate investment in our capability to support Defence and Defence Industry in Australia.”
McLachlan expressed his enthusiasm for joining Kompozition, stating, “Kompozition is solving that problem with a sovereign capability built with a focus on understanding the needs of the warfighter.” He looks forward to applying his extensive defence experience to industry challenges.
Kompozition specialises in digital engineering for the Australian government and defence sectors. The company is committed to improving efficiency in delivering defence and government programmes through its model-based Definition Operations platform.
Damien McLachlan’s career in the Department of Defence included senior technical regulation roles and support to the land capability manager within the Army. This background equips him with unique insights into the challenges faced by defence and government sectors.
Kompozition serves not only the Defence sector but also adjacent customers, making its platform versatile and adaptive to varying operational requirements. McLachlan’s role as Field CTO will bridge these requirements with Kompozition’s technological offerings.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 11:55 am
