Andrew Downes

Andrew Downes is the Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications for Thales Australia.   He joined Thales in 2023 and brings with him two decades of experience in both the Australian Defence Force and Government. 
 

Andrew is a former chief of staff to the Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, as well as senior staffer to Prime Minister Julia Gillard AC. As an Army Officer, he served in diverse appointments and deployments largely in Special Operations Command and qualified as one of the few foreign graduates of the United States Army Strategist program. 
 

He holds qualifications in law, arts and economics from the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales.