2026 nominee - Champion of Veteran Employment
Kelly-Anne Shipway is Chief Financial Officer of M2T Solutions, a veteran-owned Australian defence and government services company, a role she holds alongside her position as Deputy Director, Audit Program at the Department of Defence.
An Indigenous woman in senior leadership, Kelly is one of the most significant figures driving Indigenous women's representation in leadership within M2T, shaping the financial and governance foundations that allow the company to sustain its identity as both a veteran and Indigenous employer.
She brings more than 20 years of Defence and Australian Public Service experience across logistics, commercial management, procurement, audit and governance — working alongside serving members throughout, which has given her a genuine understanding of and rapport with military personnel, and is precisely why M2T sought her out. In 2025 she was awarded the Australia Day Achievement Medallion for her leadership and impact on Defence governance, procurement oversight and audit outcomes, and her career includes negotiating a strategic 10-year, $1.1 billion contracting arrangement for Government Owned, Contractor Operated explosive ordnance manufacturing facilities. She also runs a family business, Shipways Effective Plumbing, alongside her public service and M2T commitments.
Veteran employment initiatives succeed or fail based on whether the person designing them actually understands the workforce they're built for, and Kelly does.
Kelly-Anne Shipway's contribution to championing veteran employment operates on two levels: the structural commitments she has driven at M2T, and the financial discipline that keeps those commitments sustainable.
Kelly led M2T Solutions' submission into the Veteran Employment Scheme and has actively set a veteran recruitment target of 30% across the Defence portfolio — translating M2T's identity as a veteran employer into a measurable, accountable commitment rather than a passive claim. She has implemented a veteran support scheme that enables veterans to be employed as Reservists while continuing to upskill or cross-train where required, recognising that Reserve commitments and civilian career growth don't have to compete with one another. Practical examples include supporting veteran employees with interim lease vehicles and relocation assistance at zero cost to the member — removing two of the most common financial barriers veterans face when transitioning into a new role or location.
As CFO, she also brings the governance and commercial rigour — including a 2025 Australia Day Achievement Medallion and a $1.1 billion strategic contract negotiation — that keeps these commitments financially sustainable rather than symbolic.
Kelly is also one of the most significant figures in Indigenous women's leadership within M2T, demonstrating that a company's commitment to veteran and Indigenous employment can be embodied in the same leader rather than treated as separate initiatives.