Michael Pezzullo

Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service


Michael Pezzullo took up the position of Chief Operating Officer in the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service in July 2009.

Previously he was Deputy Secretary Strategy in the Department of Defence from January 2006. In this role, he was responsible for defence strategy and planning, force structure development, the strategic policy aspects of Australian Defence Force operations, Defence's international security relationships, and delivering national security programmes in areas such as export controls, counter-proliferation and Defence cooperation with other countries. He also oversaw the Department's ministerial support and public affairs programmes.

Mr Pezzullo joined the Department of Defence as a graduate in 1987. He worked in Defence until 1992 in a variety of strategic policy and intelligence positions. He then transferred to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, where he worked in the International Division. In March 1993, he joined the staff of the Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Gareth Evans QC. He remained in Parliament House until December 2001, including serving 5 years as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Kim Beazley MP.

In February 2002, he rejoined the Department of Defence as an Assistant Secretary in the Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group (now Defence Support Group). In March 2004, he was promoted to the position of Head Infrastructure. In July 2004, he was transferred into the newly formed role of Chief Of Staff Australian Defence Headquarters and Head of Coordination and Public Affairs Division.

Between February 2008 and May 2009 he led the Defence White Paper team and was also the principal author of the 2009 Defence White Paper.

Mr Pezzullo has a BA(Hons) in History from Sydney University. He enjoys being with his family, cricket and rugby league, and reading (anything on military history, strategy, international relations, intelligence and political biography, for starters).