Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence

Matt Yannopoulos PSM

Matt Yannopoulos commenced as the Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence on 5 October 2021.

The Associate Secretary’s role integrates the work done across the Defence enterprise to enable more effective and efficient outcomes, particularly in the areas of enterprise transformation and prioritisation.

Together with the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Associate Secretary works with the business areas to support Defence in operating as an end-to-end organisation, rather than a federation of separate parts. This is about achieving coordination across land, sea, air, space, and intelligence and cyber domains to deliver joint effects, prioritising investment in corporate and military enablers, and professionalising the workforce.

Matt Yannopoulos first worked in Defence from 2008 to 2013 as the first Chief Technology Officer.

Prior to his appointment as the Associate Secretary of Defence, Matt Yannopoulos was the Deputy Secretary Budget and Financial Reporting at the Department of Finance where he was responsible for providing policy and financial advice to Government on expenditure and non-taxation revenue policy issues.

Matt Yannopoulos has held previous government positions including Chief Operating Officer in the Department of Health and Deputy Secretary, Senior Responsible Officer for the Child Care Reform Implementation at the Department of Education. Matt Yannopoulos was awarded a Public Service Medal in January 2019 for his substantial achievements in this role.

Other positions include First Assistant Secretary, Portfolio Investment Division and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Health as well as other significant roles such as Portfolio CIO of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Matt Yannopoulos has an accounting and information technology background and is an accredited FCPA.