Photo Credit: Premier of South Australia Representative
Left to right: Dr. Mark Peters, CEO, MITRE; The Hon. Peter Malinauskas, Premier, South Australia; The Hon. Deborah L. Wince-Smith, President and CEO, Council on Competitiveness; and Mr. Charles Kiefel AM, Chairman, Australian Advisory Board on Competitiveness.
For the final day of the U.S.-Australia Innovation Delegation immersion trip, a small subset of the delegation, comprising The Hon. Deborah L. Wince-Smith, Dr. Mark Peters, and Mr. Charles Kiefel AM, engaged in high-level discussions with key leaders in Adelaide.
Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, is increasingly recognized as a hub for innovation and global competitiveness. Once known primarily for its defense sector — including the Osborne Naval Shipyard, home to Australia’s largest naval defense projects — the city has expanded its role in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, space technology, and higher education. Adelaide is home to the Australian Space Agency and Lot Fourteen, an innovation precinct bringing together entrepreneurs, research institutions, and global technology firms. The city has also been ranked among the most livable in the world, with strong infrastructure and research capabilities anchored by universities such as the University of Adelaide and Flinders University. These strengths have made Adelaide a model for regional innovation and critical to Australia’s national strategy to compete in advanced industries and the global clean energy transition.
In Adelaide, the delegation also met with the Hon. Peter Malinauskas, Premier of South Australia. Premier Malinauskas, an Adelaide native, has focused his career on advancing South Australia’s economic competitiveness. His administration has prioritized policies to attract investment, stimulate innovation, and strengthen the state’s workforce through targeted skills development. Initiatives under his leadership have also focused on supporting key growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and technology — collectively positioning South Australia as a hub for sustainable economic development in the national and global context.
While in Adelaide, the delegation also met with FUNDS SA CEO Mr. John Piteo and other FUNDS SA corporate leaders. FUNDS SA is the South Australian government-owned investment corporation, which manages assets exceeding $50 billion, serving as the sovereign wealth and superannuation fund for state employees and the Motor Accident Commission.
