ASC has appointed Jim McDowell to the ASC Board. McDowell will commence on the Board as the Deputy Chair and will succeed Bruce Carter as the Chair of the ASC Board when Carter’s term ends on 31 December 2025.
“It’s a great pleasure to welcome Jim to the ASC Board,” ASC Chair Bruce Carter said.
Carter has been a Director of ASC since 2010 and Chair since 2012, guiding ASC through a period of transformation and growth.
“With Jim’s wealth of defence sector knowledge and proven leadership experience, including most recently overseeing the Royal Australian Navy’s surface fleet and Collins Class submarines, we’re in an even stronger position to support our people, our partners, and the Navy we proudly serve," Carter stated.
Under Carter's leadership, ASC implemented the recommendations of the Coles Review, leading to an improvement in Collins Class submarine availability and reliability.
He also led the company during the construction of the three Air Warfare Destroyers and played a central role in the transition to Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine capability.
McDowell will bring more than 40 years of experience working in the defence, aerospace and shipbuilding industries.
Before joining the ASC Board, he served as Deputy Secretary of the Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group in the Australian Department of Defence. In this role, McDowell was responsible for the acquisition and sustainment of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) surface fleet and Army Watercraft, and the sustainment of the Collins Class submarines.
Prior to his time in Defence, Jim held CEO roles with Nova Systems, Department of the Premier and Cabinet in South Australia and BAE Systems’ operations in Australia and Saudi Arabia.
McDowell has held numerous non-executive appointments, including as chair of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and the Trusted Autonomous Systems Cooperative Research Centre; a director of Austal, Codan, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and the Adelaide Football Club; and Chancellor of the University of South Australia. He is currently a member of the Adelaide University Transition Council.
McDowell’s appointment is effective immediately.