Lieutenant Commander Robert Cole Basford
MIEAust CPEng NER RAN (Retd)

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🔴About




Australian
Career

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Chartered Professional Engineer, National Engineering Register The Institution of Engineers Australia, business leader with integrity, Inventor, Contributor, Philanthropist, ex-Royal Australian Navy Engineering Officer, ex-Australian Regular Army Engineering Officer & Royal Military College of Australia Graduate #2888 in UNSW Engineering Faculty of Military Studies & UNSW Master of Commerce in Information Systems. Currently with QinetiQ Australia, I’ve had five careers across four industries in three countries over two continents: one minute introductory presentation

Business transferred from Sydney in 2023 to QinetiQ Australia Engineering Services, Canberra as a Principal Consultant, and contracted as Defence SEA 1180 Phase 1, Offshore Patrol Vessels Scope Reduction 12-6 Project Manager. Previously contracted as a Defence Innovation Senior Project Manager in Sydney; Berlin, Germany as an Information Systems Program Manager for Nokia Maps / HERE Technologies (EN)-(DE); and Nokia Corporation. In Helsinki, Finland prior to the business transfer to Germany, I also led Information and Communications Technology Program/Project Management including Technology Consulting with Nokia Corporation, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Nokia Networks, and as Quality Assurance Manager in the Marine, Robotic Manufacturing industry with Marioff Corporation, and in a wide variety of leadership and Engineering roles throughout Australia in the Australian Defence Force, Navy and Army.

In 2019 I completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Business (EMERITIUS / MIT Management Executive Education), complimenting my UNSW Master of Commerce (Information Systems including Information Systems Project Management) and UNSW Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical including Computer Science) and Naval Architecture courses at Sydney Technical College (NSW), Curtin University of Technology (WA), and LLoyd's Maritime Academy (UK).

In 2015 via a successful application to the European Patent Office, I became recognized as an inventor for developing "Method and apparatus for providing interactive three-dimensional indoor environments", I earlier received the Institute of Marine Engineers Bicentenary Silver Medal for "outstanding performance during training as a MARINE ENGINEERING OFFICER in the ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY", and Royal Military College of Australia Graduate #2888. I’ve held commissions for Officer in both the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Regular Army.

An acknowledged Australian Veteran, these are my Work Certificates and ADF Commissions, community participation and avocation activities, plus a reference from my last Australian supervisor Mr Bob Collins dated 30.06.1997
32.01 Defence and Public Safety & Security Work Experience

Career Summary
2023- now Australia, Canberra
2020-2023 Australia, Sydney
2013-2020 Germany, Berlin / NATO #15
1997-2013 Finland, Helsinki / NATO #31
1990-1997 Royal Australian Navy, Sydney
1978-1990 Australian Regular Army, Canberra, Sydney, Hobart, Perth, Sydney

32.02 Hydrogen Technology Research (Defence+) for Energy Independence
Innovation and Experimentation Group Project:
31.01 EXERCISE AUTONOMOUS WARRIOR 2022 Technical, Project, and Logistics Support

31.02 Project Management & Support Coordination. Overall Project Management and coordination of support for the autonomous systems. A single point of contact for all issues regarding support including cost, schedule and performance.
31.03 Help Desk. Provision of help desk and general enquiry functions available to all personnel associated with autonomous systems operations. Rapid response to issues.
31.04 Support to Operations. On-site support as required to autonomous systems technology and Defence practices.
31.05 Engineering Investigations. Conduct of engineering investigations as required from time-to-time using engineering knowledge of autonomous systems technology.
31.06 Preventative Maintenance. Preventative maintenance scheduling to minimise risk of technology failure for complex electro-mechanical systems operated in harsh environments.
31.07 Corrective Maintenance. Corrective maintenance to address defects, faults and damage identified when the autonomous systems are in operation or as a result of inspections, tests and calibration completed during Preventative Maintenance activities.
31.08 Marine and automotive modification analysis, designs and technical artefacts.
31.09 Marine and automotive risk assessments.
31.10 Australian Regular Army Research Centre - MakerSpace Program
31.11 Australian Regular Army Research Centre - Facilitation Team
31.12 Design and development of the Australian Army Research Centre MakerSpace SharePoint site
31.13 Green Hydrogen Technology Research (Defence+)
GLG Expert Consultant:
GLG B2B consultations (AEST), 10/2020- Domain Presentations:
Business Information Systems; ICT/IT Program/Project Management; Urban Mobility; Digital Cartography;
Technical Security Support Operations; Network Implementation; Cloud Operations;
Professional Mobile Radio; Web Development; CRM; Defence Engineering; Mechanical Engineering;
Digital Platforms; Digital Marketing; Digital Transformation; Organization Change; Smart Cities;
Information Systems Security; Marine Engineering; Naval Architecture; Marine Fire Security Systems;
Data Centre Fire Security Systems; Multi-Messaging System Solutions; General Management; Leadership;
Australian Defence Security Clearance Vetting Processes;
Ongoing courses:
1. AZ-900 Fundamentals of Microsoft Azure
2. Building Artificial Intelligence - University of Helsinki
3. Java Programming - MOOC
4. Cyber Security Management - Charles Sturt University
Completed courses: skills:
1. Learn to Lead with UNSW 2021
2. Python for Data Science 2020
3. Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Business 2019
4. Elements of Artificial Intelligence 2019
5. Scrum@Scale 2019 Scrum Inc.Founder: Dr.Jeff Sutherland & Robert Basford
Conferences attended:
1. Smart Cities (Virtual) Expo World Congress, Barcelona 11/2020
2. Smart Cities Expo World Congress, Barcelona 11/2019
3. The Economist Innovation Summit Europe, London 10/2019
Family initiated Intercontinental relocation. Initial planning 04.2019, completion 09.2020.
"Its not every day you relocate with your immediate family, plus Wirehaired Dachshund, plus Vespa GT, from lands under the Aurora Borealis to lands under the Aurora Australis, during a pandemic" - Robert Cole Basford, Sydney, 4 September 2020

Good Character

Australian National Police Check (criminal history record check)
NSW Service Ref1: WWC2271629E NSW Service Ref2: WWC2271629E & Certsy Certified
Dated: 16 April 2021 valid 16 April 2026
Result: "cleared (Employee)"
The Working With Children Check (WWCC) is a requirement for anyone who works or volunteers in child-related work in NSW.
It involves a National Police Check (criminal history record check) and a review of reportable workplace misconduct.
Australian Federal Police - National Police Certificate
AFP Ref: 3151/5488721 Client Ref: VC0259312
Dated: 11 December 2020
Result: "no disclosable court outcomes"
Australian Federal Police - National Police Certificate
AFP Ref: 6077469PC
Dated: 09 December 2019
Result: "no disclosable court outcomes"
Finland Central Registry - EXTRACT FROM THE CRIMINAL RECORDS
ork_ Ref: 060859-2653 (06.08.1959)
Dated: 31 October 2019
Result: "The Finnish Criminal Records contain no information"
Federal Office of Justice / Criminal Record (Bundesamt fur Justiz / Fuhrungszeugnis)
Ref: 241249741/284281140/18122019063157000/NB/DTV/-/-
Dated: 18 December 2019
Result: "No record"


ANZAC Day - Dawn Service - Australian War Memorial
Canberra 25/04/2025


QinetiQ Thank Q - Contribution to Coaching and Mentoring
Canberra 14/11/2024


ANZAC Day - Dawn Service - Australian War Memorial
Canberra 25/04/2024


QinetiQ Thank Q - Contribution to Responsibility and Sustainability
Sydney 03/05/2023


ANZAC Day - North Bondi RSL
Sydney 25/04/2023


Major Projects Association / QinetiQ / My (ongoing) Knowledge Contribution
Canberra 01/02/2023


ANZAC Day - North Bondi RSL
Sydney 25/04/2022


My Google Review - QinetiQ Australia
Sydney 19/12/2021


ANZAC Day - North Bondi RSL
Sydney 25/04/2021


The Economist Innovation Summit Europe
London 10/2019


Smart City Expo World Congress
Barcelona 11/2019