New chief for SA’s submarines
The long-term chief executive officer of ASC is leaving the top job after a decades-long stint overseeing the Collins Class at Osborne.
The ASC board today announced Alex Walsh is being elevated to acting chief executive officer of the nation’s submarine company.
Walsh takes over from long-time leader Stuart Whiley at the helm of ASC – the company that has built Australia’s Collins Class submarines and sustained the Collins Class fleet at Osborne in South Australia.
ASC also has been selected by the Australian Government to sustain and jointly build conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines in Australia.
Walsh is currently ASC’s chief nuclear and capability officer and chief operating officer multi- class sustainment delivery, with the board saying he has an unique mix of global executive experience across defence and nuclear industries to the role.
He has held several senior roles at ASC, including general manager of engineering, and is currently focussed on the multi-class sustainment delivery.
Walsh previously held executive positions at Sellafield Limited—the UK government entity responsible for the Sellafield nuclear site in the north of England —serving as executive project manager and executive manager of engineering.
He also held leadership roles at BAE Systems as head of nuclear construction and head of nuclear safety engineering.
Stuart Whiley AM, has served at the helm of ASC since 2014 through a transformative period, the board said.
Whiley started at ASC at the beginning of the Collins class program more than 35 years ago with the board saying he played an instrumental role in establishing Australia’s sovereign capability.
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Walsh will formally commence as acting CEO on December 12.
ASC chair Bruce Carter said: “Alex brings deep organisational knowledge and extensive nuclear engineering experience that will support the ASC Board and executive leadership in transitioning ASC to a multi-platform, nuclear- capable organisation”.
“He previously worked at ASC from February 2013 to October 2014 and then rejoined ASC in January 2022,” Carter said.
“Stuart has continued to demonstrate his unwavering commitment and dedication to ASC. We sincerely thank him for his outstanding leadership and more than 35 years of service to the organisation.”
