Kinetic IT

In Defence, trust isn't granted and relationships aren't built overnight. It takes years of showing up, delivering, and understanding what the sector really needs.

It's something we try to live by at Kinetic IT, and in Leighton Freene, we see it practised every day.

His nomination as a 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 at the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 reflects exactly that.

Behind the recognition was a year worth looking at, where Leighton secured a multi-year base services contract with our long-time customer Defence Australia, and led Kinetic IT's involvement in Exercise Talisman Sabre, one of the largest joint military exercises in the Indo-Pacific.

Never one to stop with customer excellence, he's also been the executive sponsor behind our Veterans and First Responders Employee Network and Action Plan (itself a finalist at the Defence and National Security Workforce Awards this year 🙌), and has deepened community partnerships with Working Spirit Ltd, the ACT Veterans Rugby Club, and Women 4 STEM VIC. All part of understanding what the sector really needs.

While sector trust doesn't come with a certificate, this might be the closest thing to it. Congratulations Leights 🎖️

Defence Connect

Over the past week, our crew gathered across the country. From Boorloo to Garramilla, Ngunnawal-Ngambri Country to Naarm and Warrane, we asked one question: what does being 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗻 for reconciliation actually look like when you show up to work?

The answers on our 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗻 Wall are as different as the people who wrote them, and that's the point. Reconciliation isn't one story held by one kind of person. It's many, carried together:

'All In means to me: Everybody supporting one another, showing respect and each person putting in effort ♥'

'Continuing the conversation with my kids'

'Learning more about language'

'Acknowledging our Indigenous crew. Connecting with them to learn. Making them feel seen and respected.'

These answers, and many others, are now part of our 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗻 wall, and we'll carry them forward.

Thank you to everyone who joined us from Willyama Services and CSIRO Young Womens STEM Academy, and to these incredible First Nations businesses for feeding us all week: Gather Foods, Jarrah Catering, Koori Kulcha Experience, Soul Essence on the Bay, and Ribanas Catering.

As National Reconciliation Week 2026 comes to a close today, Reconciliation Australia reminds us that this is a long walk and not a sprint, not something that wraps up when the calendar moves on.

Our Innovate RAP is our commitment to keep walking: in employment, procurement, cultural safety, and how we're 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗻 everyday.



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Kinetic IT acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which our crew, customers and communities live and work across Australia. We acknowledge the enduring connections Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with land, sea, and community, as the oldest continuous culture in the world. We pay our respects to the Elders past and present.

This year's National Reconciliation Week theme is All In.
Not all in for one week – all in, every day.

From 27 May to 3 June, our crew across the nation will be gathering – in Whadjuk Noongar Country (Perth), Larrakia Country (Darwin), Ngunnawal-Ngambri Country (Canberra), Eora Nation (Sydney) and Wurundjeri (Melbourne) – to connect, reflect, and ask what Reconciliation means for each of us, and for all of us together.

📌 Artwork by Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung artist Otis Hope Carey for Reconciliation Australia.

We weren't expecting this in our feed and it honestly made our week. 🥰

The Hello Initiative. team put together a recap of what our collaboration actually looks like in practice, and honestly it just reinforces why this partnership means so much to us.

42 phones collected.
59 smartphones prepped and ready to go.
89 young people directly helped.
37 volunteer hours saved.

Those aren't just numbers on a slide. They're real outcomes for young people navigating the justice system in WA, and we're grateful to play even a small part in that.

None of this happens without the Kinetic IT crew who actually showed up. The people who brought in phones from friends and family, who spent their volunteer days wiping and setting up devices. That's the stuff we're most proud of. It's not just a cheque, it's our people getting their hands dirty for something that matters.

Thank you to the Hello Initiative. team for everything you do, and a big one to our volunteers. You're the reason this works. 💪

Good things happen when good people show up. Here's proof. 👇

1️⃣ Kinetic IT was a finalist for 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 at the 2026 Defence and National Security Workforce Awards. This one means a lot. It's recognition of the real, ongoing work our veteran crew and team put into our Belonging Framework, Veterans & First Responders Working Group, and the practical day-to-day supports that make a difference. 🎖️

2️⃣ Gender equity in Defence is having a moment. We were proud to sponsor the inaugural Defence Connect Progress Report Luncheon, with Zoë King on the panel sharing what it actually takes to move the needle. With Meghan Quinn PSM appointed as Secretary of the Department of Defence and Lt Gen Susan Coyle as Chief of Army, conversations like this feel more important than ever. ⚖️

3️⃣ Three Kinetic IT team members were finalists in the 2026 ARN Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA), selected from 222 candidates across Australia. Congratulations to Laura Domingo, Zoë King and Courtney Bohan, with a special mention to Courtney for her Highly Commended in Community Impact. So well deserved. 🏆

4️⃣ Last week our crew repaired 42 broken phones for Hello Initiative., saving 37 hours and keeping devices out of landfill. Those phones are now in the hands of 59 vulnerable young people. We've also just launched Community Volunteering Leave, so our team can do more of this kind of thing. 📱

5️⃣ And to wrap the week, a nod to our 10+ year partnership with Women in Technology, Western Australia (WITWA). In 2026 we're going further together, with breakfast networking events, support for the Techtrails STEM, Western Australia school program, and backing the new CyberThrive campaign to get more young women into cyber security. If you can see her, you can be her. 💙

Not a bad note to end the week on. What a crew. 🥰

Courtney, Laura and Zoë gave us plenty to be proud of at the Women in ICT Awards last night. ✨

Representing Kinetic IT at the 2026 WIICTAs in Sydney, these incredible women were recognised among the very best across Australia’s technology sector.

👏 Courtney Bohan – Community Impact Award
👏 Laura Domingo – Rising Star Award finalist
👏 Zoë King – Shining Star Award finalist

A special shout‑out to Courtney, who received a 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 for her Community Impact nomination – a standout and thoroughly deserved achievement in a fiercely competitive national field. 💜

We’re proud of the impact these women continue to make across Kinetic IT, our communities and the ICT industry.

Thank you to ARN - Australian Reseller News for continuing to create a platform that celebrates leadership and impact across Australia’s technology sector.

On Anzac Day, we pause to remember.

We think of the Australians and New Zealanders who came ashore at Gallipoli before dawn, and how they met the hardship that followed with more than courage alone.

They kept going through fear, exhaustion and loss. They looked after the person beside them.
They shared what little they had.
They found humour where there was little to be found.

That ANZAC spirit has passed through generations to those who serve today.

From small acts of service to great sacrifice, we honour the instinct to stand up for others, share what we can, and give people a fair go when it matters most.

It’s a legacy worth carrying.

Lest we forget.

We’re building for what comes next, and we’re pleased to welcome Kishore Jayaram as our new Chief Transformation Officer.

He joins at an important point in our evolution. We’re expanding what we can do, modernising how we deliver, and investing in innovation that creates real value for our customers.

In this new role, Kishore will help drive growth, sharpen our go to market focus, shape sovereign digital services, and guide how we apply AI and emerging tech in a practical way across our work.

He brings more than 20 years of experience across McKinsey & Company, Cisco, Accenture, Thoughtworks and NCS Australia. His background spans strategy, growth and large scale transformation.

🗣️ “Few organisations reach a moment where they can fundamentally reshape their trajectory, and Kinetic IT is in one such moment.”

As organisations across Australia face rising complexity, stronger security demands and rapid change, we’re continuing to invest in the leadership and capability that helps them move forward with confidence.

Welcome to the team, Kishore. ✨

✨ 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞... 🥁 Huge congratulations to Karina McLeod Bourne, Ananda Goddard-Dryden, Andrew Haines and our & Mobilisation Team - our Award recipients!

From values-led leadership to everyday allyship and embedding inclusion where it counts most, these incredible people are proof that real change happens one action at a time.

Thank you to every nominee and finalist who is part of this journey with us. 💜

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𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐖𝐃 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬: Kinetic IT's IWD Awards celebrate the momentum and achievements driving gender equity across our business - shining a light on the people and initiatives that bring our objectives, Gender Action Plan and inclusion goals to life.

💜 𝐈𝐖𝐃 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 - Recognising a woman at Kinetic IT who has consistently demonstrated excellence in their role and inspires others through their contributions. Congratulations Karina!

💜 𝐈𝐖𝐃 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 – Honouring a woman at Kinetic IT who is in the early stages of their leadership journey but has shown exceptional initiative and leadership potential. Congratulations Ananda!

💜 𝐈𝐖𝐃 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 – Celebrating an individual who actively contributes to advancing gender equity and inclusion at Kinetic IT. This category is open to all crew, regardless of gender. Congratulations Andrew!

💜 𝐈𝐖𝐃 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 – Recognising initiatives, projects, or process improvements that actively embed inclusive work practices and contribute to meaningful progress towards gender equity at Kinetic IT. Congratulations to our Talent Acquisition & Mobilisation team!