Mike Kalms
Partner in Charge, Customer & Operations | Lead Partner, Defence & Space
KPMG Australia
Mike leads KPMG Australia's national Customer & Operations Advisory group with more than 600 partners and expert consultants. From a market perspective, he drives KPMG’s national defence industry and space accounts. He has more than 30 years’ experience in business and government in Australia, Europe and Asia.
In his (now) distant youth, Mike joined the Department of Defence, investing several years in understanding how that agency works. He then embarked on a career in industry with BAE Systems and QinetiQ – with interludes at RPDE and the UK’s NITEworks collaborative programs.
Mike has found a home at KPMG, where he has supported the 2016 White Paper as a member of the Minister’s 6-person Expert Panel, worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Defence on their industry policy and approach to sovereign industry, supported various state governments develop defence industry strategy, and aided business and universities to build defence-relevant capabilities.
The growth of KPMG’s space business has been exciting. Working with passionate colleagues across the globe, KPMG has fostered a young, dynamic consulting offering to new Australian Space Agency, State Government and the emergent Space Startup sector. KPMG now has a team with the technical, commercial and business expertise to drive growth and deliver outcomes for organisations ‘entering space’.