Speaking with Mike Rinaudo – newly appointed Head of Defence
DT Infrastructure was pleased to announce in early January 2025 that Mike Rinaudo had joined the business as the Head of Defence. A RAAF veteran with more than 30 years’ experience working on Defence projects, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge to our business. We recently caught up with him to hear his thoughts on the new role and the Defence landscape.
What role does the Head of Defence perform?
As a Defence sector specialist, my role is all about providing executive and strategic leadership to identify and develop sustainable Defence construction business initiatives for DT Infrastructure. To do that, I need to be an influencer, negotiator, adviser, connector, and translator. Infrastructure projects in the Defence sector are unique compared to private, or even other government clients. The focus of the Australian Defence Force is to train their people and maintain their ability to meet any future threat or challenges. Delivering projects for Defence is about understanding their requirements when it comes to building military capability, and providing solutions that can support them.
The best result for Defence will always be about delivering a sustainable, best practice solution that supports mission readiness, as opposed to something that looks good. It’s less about form and more about function and adaptability.
Tell us about your experience in the Defence sector
My career began when I gained a scholarship with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to complete the final two years of my civil engineering degree. Upon graduation I was posted to Canberra as an Airfield Engineer. I spent ten years in the RAAF, at various postings around Australia. I was also fortunate to have the opportunity to complete my Master of Science at the Royal Military College of Science in the UK.
Following the RAAF I joined GHD and spent the next 10+ years managing projects and teams in the delivery of Defence infrastructure around Australia. The exposure to these projects further developed my expertise in the design and project management of Defence infrastructure.
The combination of this experience has resulted in a unique perspective in aligning the “client-side” design and project management approach with the physical delivery of projects through contractor delivery processes.
I find myself driven to improve the delivery of Defence projects, supporting its mission of defending Australia and its national interests.
What will DT Infrastructure be looking to achieve for Defence?
DT Infrastructure will be looking to cement itself as a trusted partner for Defence and for Defence contracts to make up a valuable part of our business. While the quality of our tender submissions is critical to winning projects (in all sectors), it’s the quality delivery of a project for Defence which will be critical for DT Infrastructure to continue winning work. Defence takes the performance of their delivery partners very seriously, and our appreciation and deep understanding of these values is most important when entering the sector as a “new” contractor.
What are some of the challenges in this sector?
Defence set a very high bar for the quality of tender submissions. This, along with having people available who have the most relevant experience in delivering a project of the same scope and size, will be most critical in securing initial works. Defence have often said that they are looking for companies with mature systems and are financially viable. However, it is the people and their experience they are procuring that matters most.
How is DT Infrastructure positioned to support Defence infrastructure projects?
Defence spending is projected to significantly grow over the next 10 years, which will see them look to new delivery partners to meet this demand. They will also be looking to work with companies that can safely handle sensitive information and data, given the changing geopolitical landscape, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. So, in addition to our breadth of experience and expertise in other sectors, we also recently submitted an application to be accredited as a member of the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP), which will mean we are well-positioned to support Defence with its construction requirements.