Matt Yannopoulos commenced as the Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence on 5 October 2021.

The Associate Secretary’s role integrates the work done across the Defence enterprise to enable more effective and efficient outcomes, particularly in the areas of enterprise transformation and prioritisation.

Together with the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Associate Secretary works with the business areas to support Defence in operating as an end-to-end organisation, rather than a federation of separate parts. This is about achieving coordination across land, sea, air, space, and intelligence and cyber domains to deliver joint effects, prioritising investment in corporate and military enablers, and professionalising the workforce.

Matt Yannopoulos first worked in Defence from 2008 to 2013 as the first Chief Technology Officer.

Prior to his appointment as the Associate Secretary of Defence, Matt Yannopoulos was the Deputy Secretary Budget and Financial Reporting at the Department of Finance where he was responsible for providing policy and financial advice to Government on expenditure and non-taxation revenue policy issues.

Matt Yannopoulos has held previous government positions including Chief Operating Officer in the Department of Health and Deputy Secretary, Senior Responsible Officer for the Child Care Reform Implementation at the Department of Education. Matt Yannopoulos was awarded a Public Service Medal in January 2019 for his substantial achievements in this role.

Other positions include First Assistant Secretary, Portfolio Investment Division and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Health as well as other significant roles such as Portfolio CIO of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Matt Yannopoulos has an accounting and information technology background and is an accredited FCPA.

Growing up in public housing in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, Peter worked the late shift at the local servo, as a cleaner and on building sites whilst studying Law and Arts at Melbourne University before later attaining a Master of International Laws from ANU.

Prior to his election to parliament, Peter was the Executive Director of Corporate Affairs, Strategy and Communications at SBS and a Victorian Multicultural Commissioner. He also has served as a foreign policy and national security adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He has also worked as a public servant at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, played tennis semi-professionally and worked overseas.

Peter lives with his wife and two children, plays tennis in his spare time and is a one-eyed Collingwood supporter.