David Miller

David has over thirty years of executive leadership experience, specialising in operations assurance, risk management and performance turnarounds in large companies.

He thrives when the pressure to succeed is intense and the line between success and failure is razor-thin.

With the early part of his career spent as a Commissioned Officer in the US Navy and the latter working on some of Australia's most significant and complex projects, David is best known for his strategic vision that turns possibilities into actionable steps and his ability to balance competing interests so that any conflicts are resolved with minimal disruption and superior outcomes can be achieved.

Career History
During his 17-year career with the US Navy, David spent 12 years involved in sea duty. Ashore, he worked in the Pentagon on the Chief of Naval Operations staff in various roles before he completed service with the rank of Commander.

His corporate career has seen him take senior leadership roles at Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, Tenix and Serco where he was EGM & Head of Operations for Australia leading the operational turnaround of their most complex Defence projects.

He has operated as a consultant on complex projects since 2019.

Leadership Highlights
While a GM at a Fortune 50 company in New York, I successfully led the operational turnaround of their international joint venture project in Australia. The JV was behind schedule and over budget by millions to design and deliver a complex communications-based surveillance infrastructure system that involved "never done before" science and technology solutions that had to operate from the outback of Queensland and WA. Within fifteen months of my arrival, the technical challenges were overcome, most of the cost overrun was recovered, commercial disputes were resolved, and the project achieved final acceptance.

A FTSE 250 company had to record an Onerous Contract Provision (OCP) of £136m on their balance sheet, together with a further £60m of impairments, due to past performance issues on an Asset Management contract being performed by their Sydney-based subsidiary. I was engaged to lead an operational turnaround. Within eighteen months, performance was significantly improved, contractual disputes were resolved, the subsidiary's risk exposure had been mitigated considerably, and over several years, Head Office in London was able to reduce the OCP to zero.

When a privately owned Australian company chose to pursue a high-profile, once-in-a-generation, government-funded project valued at $3 billion in today's currency, I successfully led the capture effort, which involved establishing international partnerships and gaining the confidence of key stakeholders in government, while also leading a large bid preparation team through complex technical and commercial issues.

Favourite quotes
“...we must think and act not only for the moment but for our time. I am reminded of the story of the great French Marshal Lyautey, who once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow-growing and would not reach maturity for a hundred years. The Marshal replied, 'In that case, there is no time to lose, plant it this afternoon' ” John F Kennedy
“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy” Norman Schwarzkopf

David Miller

On-demand Executive Leader, Senior Advisor and Mentor, Complex Projects Specialist