Adam Leslie

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Adam has more than 30 years’ experience spanning national security, defence and diplomacy and comes to ASPI with expertise in strategy, national security innovation, intelligence, technology and social entrepreneurship.

He spent 15 years as a national security professional with the Australian government, with long-term postings to Bangkok, Kabul, and Dubai. During this time, he led multi-disciplined teams to address Asia-Pacific regional security issues, which included a focus on countering terrorism, cyber threats, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Prior to this, Adam spent 12 years in the Australian Army where he was a UH-1H helicopter gunship pilot and intelligence officer. He is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

Before joining ASPI, Adam Leslie founded Levenhall, a national security innovation consultancy based in Silicon Valley and the Washington DC area. Adam was also the founder of OTX International, a 501c3 not-for-profit that was established while Adam and his team were exfiltrating at-risk Afghans being targeted by the Taliban.