Kinetic IT has announced the appointment of Major General (Retired) Murray Thompson AM CSC as Group Executive Advisory & Transformation, marking a significant step forward in the company’s growth and transformation strategy.
In this newly created executive leadership role, Thompson will lead Kinetic IT’s Advisory & Transformation portfolio, encompassing digital transformation, automation, cyber security and IT consulting services. His appointment reinforces Kinetic IT’s commitment to delivering secure, sovereign, and customer-centred solutions that support the evolving needs of government and critical industries.
Thompson joins Kinetic IT following a distinguished career in the Australian Army, concluding his service in 2024 as a Major General. As Head of ICT Operations for the Australian Department of Defence, he was responsible for managing Defence’s global ICT networks and cyber security operations, including satellite and communications infrastructure.
He also served as Strategic J6, providing senior-level cyber and communications advice to the Chief of the Defence Force.
Across his three-decade military career, Thompson held senior command and strategic planning roles across cyber, force development, training, and operations. He has served in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Sinai Peninsula, and Germany, and brings unmatched expertise in leading complex, high-stakes ICT environments.
Kinetic IT Chief Executive Officer, Michael North, said Thompson’s appointment aligned with the company’s strategy to build a stronger, more adaptive Australian technology partner that can meet the growing demands of a digitally enabled, cyber-resilient nation.
“Murray brings not only deep experience in cyber security and digital infrastructure, but a strategic mindset shaped by decades of leadership in national defence. His expertise will be instrumental in strengthening our sovereign capabilities and helping our customers transform with confidence,” said North.
“This appointment also reflects our investment in people and capability as we scale our advisory and transformation services to meet increasing demand across government and critical sectors.”
Based in Canberra, Thompson will be well-placed to work closely with organisations across both public and private sectors, supporting their transformation and technology ambitions nationally.
Reflecting on the transition to this new role, Thompson said he is excited to join a truly Australian company with a strong reputation for delivering quality outcomes and trusted partnerships.
“Kinetic IT is uniquely positioned to help Australian organisations solve complex challenges at the intersection of technology, security and transformation,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working alongside an exceptional team to shape secure, modern, and sustainable solutions for our customers.”
Evolving with purpose: Building a resilient, modern Australian tech partner
Founded in Western Australia over 25 years ago, Kinetic IT has grown into one of Australia’s largest privately owned and operated ICT services providers, with more than 1,500 employees delivering mission-critical support to federal, state and local governments, critical infrastructure operators, and enterprise customers.
Over the past 12 months, Kinetic IT has continued to strengthen its position as a trusted sovereign partner, securing major customer wins with Main Roads Western Australia and Landgate, and achieving industry-leading recognition as the first Australian provider to receive accreditation for its globally recognised Service Integration and Management expertise (SIAM Assured status).
The company was also named a leader in the 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ survey for ServiceNow Ecosystem Partners, reflecting the strength of its capabilities in service integration and management, and in 2025 was recognised for the fourth consecutive year as a Deloitte Best Managed Company for outstanding performance, innovation and culture.
Underpinning Kinetic IT’s growth is a clear strategy to uplift leadership and transformation capabilities, demonstrated through recent key executive and board appointments including Inese Kingsmill (Non-Executive Director), Lisa Keogh (Chief People Officer), and Lara Barnett (Vandersluis) (Head of Marketing).
With a solutions portfolio spanning cyber security, digital infrastructure, intelligent workplaces and systems integration – all delivered with a security-first and onshore delivery model – Kinetic IT continues to invest in the people, partnerships and platforms that enable Australian organisations to adapt, grow, and thrive in a fast-changing digital landscape.
