Peter Jennings is one of Australia’s foremost experts in geo-politics, national security and defence matters.  Until early 2022, he was Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a position he held for a decade.  Peter was responsible for expanding ASPI’s research remit from defence to cybersecurity, policing and international law enforcement, border security, national resilience, and counter-terrorism studies.

He has worked at senior levels in the Australian Public Service on defence and national security issues and led the ‘External Expert Panel’ appointed by Government in early 2014 to advise ministers and the Defence Department on the Defence White Paper, released in February 2016. 

Prior to joining ASPI, Peter held several senior roles in the Department of Defence, including Deputy Secretary for Strategy, Deputy Director of Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation, Head of the Strategic Policy Branch, and Chief of Staff to the then-Minister for Defence Ian McLachlan.  He also served as Senior Adviser for Strategic Policy to Prime Minister John Howard.

In 2023, Peter was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the development of strategic and international policy.