Dan Fankhauser

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT DAN FANKHAUSER

Dan Fankhauser is a defence acquisition specialist, with extensive experience in program management, international cooperation, industry engagement, contracting, export licensing and policy implementation.As First Assistant Secretary of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Manufacturing Division, Dan is responsible for sponsorship and delivery of domestic missile and munitions production.As First Assistant Secretary Infrastructure since May 2021, Dan managed the development, construction, leasing, licensing and disposal of the Defence estate – the largest real estate portfolio in the Australian Government. In this capacity, Dan supported an independent audit of the Defence estate in 2023 and the implementation of infrastructure priorities stemming from the Defence Strategic Review.Dan has held a range of senior and representational roles within Defence, assisting Australian businesses through the global COVID-19 pandemic and in establishing the early foundations of Australia’s national naval shipbuilding enterprise.Dan previously held diplomatic accreditation to represent Australia’s acquisition and sustainment interests with the United States and Canada from the Australian Embassy in Washington DC from 2011-16. This coincided with a period of unprecedented growth in Foreign Military Sales and armaments cooperation programs with the United States, as part of the recapitalisation of the Royal Australian Air Force and rapid acquisitions to support operational deployments. During his tenure, Dan established the successful G’Day USA: US- Australian Dialogue on Defence Industries and facilitated significant new export opportunities for Australian industry.Dan has extensive experience providing strategic advice to Government, including as Senior Capability & Industry Advisor to the Minister for Defence during the development and release of the 2009 Defence White Paper and as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Defence Materiel in 2010-11.Dan served for more than a decade as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy, qualifying as a mine warfare specialist in 2003. Dan is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) and Master of Management (Governance) from the University of New South Wales and is an alumni of the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.