Strategic appointment to Tesserent board

Tesserent Limited has announced the appointment of Anthony Sheehan as a non-executive director with immediate effect.

Welcoming him to the board, Chairman Geoff Lord highlighted Sheehan’s exceptional 32-year career in government, with senior roles in counterterrorism, security intelligence and international security.

“Mr Sheehan brings to Tesserent unparalleled knowledge and expertise in protecting Australian assets and will bolster Tesserent’s sovereign capabilities in Australia’s cyber defence and offensive activities,” Lord said.

Sheehan’s appointment is of strategic importance, following recent news that the Albanese government plans to overhaul the $1.7bn 10-year cybersecurity strategy.

“We are delighted to welcome Mr Sheehan to the board. Tesserent is the largest provider of cybersecurity services to the federal government. Tesserent Federal is working closely with over 100 Australian and New Zealand federal and state departments and agencies,” said Kurt Hansen, CEO, Tesserent.

Sheehan is currently a private consultant, having left government employment in June 2022 after 32 years of service. He was the former deputy secretary responsible for International Security, Humanitarian, Consular, Middle East and Africa, and Legal divisions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Prior to this, as the commonwealth counter-terrorism coordinator, he coordinated Australia’s counterterrorism arrangements for the prime minister and worked in close partnership with commonwealth and state and territory agencies. He was also chair of the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Earlier roles included Deputy Director-General with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), where he was responsible for counterespionage and foreign interference and capability. This followed several years as Deputy Secretary in the Attorney-General’s Department, initially with responsibility for National Security, Criminal Justice and Emergency Management and then as Chief Operating Officer.

Sheehan also served as First Assistant Secretary Homeland and Border Security in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. He also had postings to Taipei, Beijing and Jakarta and then held a number of senior executive service (SES) positions in Canberra with responsibilities for counterterrorism, people smuggling and other transnational issues.

“I am delighted to join Tesserent’s board and contribute to the strategic expansion, uplift capability of the business and protection of Australian and New Zealand’s assets and defences. Tesserent has more than 400 of Australia’s top security practitioners and is on the frontline of Australia’s cyber defence and risk management,” Sheehan said.

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