24 September, 2024 | ACT Awards2024

2024 ACT Award

Ian Croser AM and David Gaul, founders of CEA Technologies, are the recipients of the 2024 ACT Chief Minister's Pearcey Award. The award was presented by ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr at a special Pearcey Foundation event in Canberra on Tuesday 24 September 2024.

Ian Croser and David Gaul, two former naval officers, established CEA Technologies in 1983. Their vision was to create an Australian centre of excellence for the design and support of electronics technology to meet the Royal Australian Navy's specific needs. At the time, these requirements were primarily brought in from the US, which did not adequately fulfil Navy's needs. Turning their vision into reality, Ian and David embraced a motto of 'Solutions with Commitment' by designing, manufacturing and providing in-country support using Australian engineers and manufacturers.

Today, CEA has grown to over 600 staff with a turnover of over $200m. Their phase array radars are fitted to the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of warships. The technology is world-class with many capabilities including tracking and targeting missiles in full flight. In 2023, to counter intense interest from overseas Defence suppliers, the Federal Government chose to nationalise CEA Technologies (valued at $500m) by buying a majority stake (72%). This investment protects the CEA from foreign takeover and secures crucial sovereignty in CEA's large-scale research, development, and manufacturing capabilities.

Dr Tim Turner, ACT Pearcey Foundation Chair, commented,

Ian Croser and David Gaul were selected from an illustrious cohort of successful Canberra IT entrepreneurs. Over a 40-year period, they have built CEA Technologies into an impressive global company. CEA is become a critical supplier of military radars to Australian Defence and renowned for its large-scale all-Australian innovation, R&D and manufacturing.

CEA Technologies

CEA Technologies is an all-Australian company that designs, develops, manufactures and sustains advanced active phase array radar systems. Since 1983, CEA has longstanding and ongoing collaboration with Defence, and has undertaken large-scale R&D and manufacturing into all aspects of active electronically scanned array technologies. CEA’s phase array radars, which are fitted to the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of warships, are regarded the best in the world.

CEA is headquartered in Canberra, with five additional facilities across Australia and wholly owned international subsidiary, CEA Technologies Inc (CEATI) based in Maryland, USA. Its design and manufacturing facilities are located in Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne with support facilities located in Perth, Newcastle and Brisbane. Today, the solutions built by CEA Technologies and the intellectual property behind CEA's technology is Australian owned and controlled with a strong Australian-based supply chain. CEA products have more than 75% Australian industry content, which is far above most other military suppliers.

Ian Croser AM

Ian Croser is co-founder and Technical Director of CEA Technologies Pty Limited. CEA was founded in 1983 with the objective of providing Australian designed and manufactured electronics and communications solutions for both military and civilian applications. Ian’s goal is to make the company a centre for excellence in electronic research & development, and to convert that R&D into beneficial and marketable products. Before forming the company Ian spent 12 years in the Royal Australian Navy, where he gained extensive experience in naval operations, command, control, systems engineering, design and development.

Ian’s core expertise lies in his ability to design innovative electronic systems, understand complex system design and requirements, and communicate these concepts in a compelling and understandable form. He is recognised as a pre-eminent world leading radar specialist.

The Phased Array Radar technology is revolutionary enabling system level performance that facilitates defence against weapon threats where previously there was no effective response. This technology also extends into other civil areas providing advanced capability in applications such as surveillance, communications, air traffic control, weather monitoring and prediction. Ian has wide experience in the design and development of systems involving phased array radar technology, communications technology, combat systems, specialised sensor technology, detection and tracking, classification and identification, modelling and simulation and data fusion technologies.

David Gaul

Before forming the Company with his co- director, Ian Croser, David spent 22 years in the Royal Australian Navy, where he gained extensive experience in naval operations, weapons, tactics, command and control, project management and administration.

David completed various business courses in order to launch into the small business world, including the Company Directors’ Diploma Course and the University of New England Small Business Management Course in 1983 and the inaugural ACT Enterprise Workshop in 1984. He has been associated ever since, serving as mentor to many teams over the years, acting as a Judge at trial presentations of the business plans, and in 1997 was invited to judge at the National Finals of the Enterprise Workshop and subsequently as Chairman of Judges in 1998.

David is a Foundation Fellow of the AICD and has served as councillor of the ACT Division of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the ACT Division of the Australian Business Chamber. He is currently a member of the ACT Government’s Business Advisory and Regulatory Review Team (BARRT).

Pearcey Event

The Pearcey Foundation ACT Chief Minister's Entrepreneur Award is an annual award presented as part of the broader Pearcey Foundation awards program, which recognises outstanding Australian individuals in the technology and entrepreneurial sectors. This specific award acknowledges individuals in the ACT who have demonstrated innovation, success, and leadership in entrepreneurship, especially in the field of information and communications technology (ICT). It aims to highlight local achievements and promote the entrepreneurial culture within Canberra.

The 2024 event, attended by well over 100 people, was held on Tuesday, 24 September 2024 at the Westbourne Room, Royal Canberra Golf Club. It included a Pearcey Round Table discussion followed by the Annual ACT Pearcey Foundation Dinner.

Sponsors

The Pearcey Foundation would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the ACT Government and the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr for sponsoring and participating in this prestigious ICT award.