Defence Leaders: Other Leaders
Mr Mike Pezzullo
Deputy Secretary White Paper
Michael Pezzullo took up the position of Deputy Secretary Strategy, Coordination and Governance in the Department of Defence in January 2006. In this role, he is responsible for defence strategy and planning, the strategic policy aspects of Australian Defence Force operations and Defence's international security relationships, and delivering national security programmes in areas such as export controls, counter-proliferation and Defence cooperation with other countries.
Mr Pezzullo joined the Department of Defence as a graduate in 1987. He worked in Defence until 1992 in a variety of strategic policy and intelligence positions. He then transferred to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, where he worked in the International Division. In March 1993, he joined the staff of the Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Gareth Evans QC. He remained in Parliament House until December 2001, including serving 5 years as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Kim Beazley MP.
In February 2002, he rejoined the Department of Defence as an Assistant Secretary in the Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group (now Defence Support Group). In March 2004, he was promoted to the position of Head Infrastructure. In July 2004, he was transferred into the newly formed role of Chief Of Staff Australian Defence Headquarters and Head of Coordination and Public Affairs Division.
Mr Pezzullo has a BA(Hons) in History from Sydney University. He enjoys being with his family, cricket and rugby league, and reading (anything on military history, strategy, international relations, the world of espionage, political biography, theology and metaphysics, for starters).