Michael Abbot Email & Phone Number

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Leading the development and implementation of organisational resilience strategies, frameworks and procedures for Airservices Australia.Strengthening organisational resilience and response capability through the development and continuous improvement of Airservices crisis management arrangements through liaison with all levels of personnel across Airservices to promote and embed a strong organisational resilience culture.

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Developed and delivered an uplift program to supporting increased maturity of Enterprise Risk Management across the organisation, including considerations through governance structures.Engagement across all levels of staff to build awareness and enable structured engagement with risk supported by effective management and oversight. Broad engagement with Government stakeholders to develop a strategy for implementation of an Organisational Resilience Framework and associated governance structures to enhance organisational preparedness and response capabilities. Enhancing organisational risk and resilience literacy through targeted education and engagement to enable data-driven risk-based decision making and prioritisation.

Develop manage, and operationalise the crisis management, resilience and response policies and capabilities of DFAT, a complex, high-profile international Government department, enhanced by on the ground experience in highly volatile environments including Kabul, Beirut and Ukraine.Provide expert advice, support and guidance to Australian embassies across Europe to ensure appropriate contingency planning, crisis preparedness and capabilities grounded in risk-based assessments. Develop and facilitate scenario-based crisis exercises and training programs. Manage crisis responses and complex consular cases. Monitor and report on regional and global trends impacting consular and crisis management. Engage with private sector and government stakeholders to inform the development of strategic consular and crisis management policies.

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Delivered key strategic policy reforms for DFAT crisis and contingency preparedness, planning, and response. Including a reform of DFAT’s Crisis Action Plans, facilitating a risk-based approach; realising substantial resource savings, removing red-tape, and enhancing Australia’s preparedness.Led reforms to policies guiding DFAT Crisis Preparedness Assurance Team (CPAT) visits to ensure these mechanisms effectively supported crisis preparedness and response planning at Australia’s overseas Posts and optimised engagement with key local response capabilities, achieving savings and reducing administration. Led DFAT teams to drive engagement with the Australian Defence Force (ADF); enhancing the realism and complexity of ADF exercise scenarios to deliver whole of government crisis response objectives and capabilities, including evacuations and humanitarian responses.Actively managed and developed the DFAT Crisis Response Team capability, coordinating recruitment, retention, training, rostering and deployment of a ready deployable capability of around 75 individuals. Supported effective and coordinated Australian Government responses to international crises, through building and maintaining effective relationships that enable timely, informed, and professional responses.

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Conducted analysis, scenario, and policy development vital to the implementation of $3.7 billion in savings to the Official Development Assistance budget, enabling DFAT to successfully navigate a watershed moment for Australia’s aid program.Engaged and negotiated across whole-of-government to support the development of New Policy Proposals ensuring efficient expenditure of DFAT managed resources while delivering Australian Government objectives.

Kabul, Kabul Province, Afghanistan

Managed multimillion dollar development contracts being delivered in Afghanistan through establishing and maintaining relationships with international development partners, implementing partners, multilateral organisations, managing contractors, military counterparts, and Afghan government officials, including Ministers.Developed, reviewed and implemented strategies guiding the effective delivery of multimillion dollar sectoral development investments to enhance the safety and prosperity of Afghanistan, including management of advisers and locally engaged staff. Analysis and reporting on political, security and program development risks and opportunities.

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Coordinated inputs to ensure senior executives and government representative awareness of opportunities and emerging issues related to Australian Government operations in Afghanistan.Facilitated effective decision outcomes though the National Security Committee of Cabinet, including the cessation of Australia’s physical presence in the province.Managed multimillion dollar development contracts being delivered in Afghanistan.Developed, reviewed and implemented strategies guiding the effective delivery of multimillion dollar sectoral development investments.Analysis and reporting on political, security and program development risks and opportunities.

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Prepared detailed intelligence assessments on a broad range of political and military topics for senior Government and Military decision makers.Facilitated information sharing between international intelligence partners while representing the Defence Intelligence Organisation and as an embedded analyst within the Insurgency Team of the Combined Joint Intelligence Operations Centre – Afghanistan, a multinational military intelligence cell.

Bachelor Of Laws

Bachelor Of Commerce - Bcom

Master'S Degree, Cyber Security Strategy And Diplomacy