Arthur Sinodinos replaces co-founder as Chair at Hypersonix

Hypersonic vehicle developer Hypersonix Launch Systems has announced former Australian Ambassador to the United States and Senator Arthur Sinodinos as the new Chair of its board. 

In a statement on Thursday, the company said Sinodinos’s appointment is effective March 18, as well as a “testament to [its] recent momentum and global ambition to become the world leader in hypersonic technology.”  

It described Sinodinos – who served as federal innovation minister for almost all of 2017 before resigning from the position due to cancer treatment – as a leading expert in Australian foreign policy, and with “a wealth of public and private sector experience that spans national security, industry innovation and commercialisation, economic policy, and new market opportunities.”

“It is a privilege to take on the role of Chair of the Board with Hypersonix and I would like to thank David for his stewardship through the early stages of the company,” said Sinodinos in a statement.  

“There is a critical need for hypersonic technology in defence, and an equally significant potential for commercial applications. Hypersonix has the right leadership team in place and I look forward to guiding and supporting them to maximise growth potential and bring the product line to market.” 

David Waterhouse, the company’s co-founder and its chair before Sinodinos, will remain on the board as Deputy Chair.

“Hypersonix is a great Australian success story and I am grateful to have led the company through the early startup stage, establishing our first foothold in the U.S. Defense market and laying the groundwork for where we are now,” said Waterhouse, who co-founded the business with the former Chair of Hypersonic Propulsion at The University of Queensland, Dr Michael Smart.

Sinodinos was Ambassador to the United States between 2020 and 2023, and “took a key role in the finalisation of the AUKUS trilateral defence agreement”.

Under AUKUS’s pillar two, the three member nations have pledged to “work together to accelerate development of advanced hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities.” 

In March last year, Hypersonix was selected by the United States’ Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to provide its DART AE (Additive Engineering) vehicles for the “Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities” (HyCAT1) program. It was the company’s first contract.

For an interview on the @AuManufacturing Conversations podcast with Hypersonix CEO Matt Hill, published last month, click here.

Picture: credit www.mckinnonprize.org.au

Further reading

No matter how ambitious the innovation, it’s always about doing more with less

Hypersonix signs US agreement, could supply up to 20 DART AE platforms to Kratos

Hypersonix awarded first major contract