Emilio De Stefano – MD and CEO of De Stefano and Co

Defence security advisory firm De Stefano & Co officially opened its Melbourne office in August 2026, marking the company’s second Australian office and an important step in its national growth strategy. The expansion will solidify its presence in Victoria and further support demand across the state’s growing defence, aerospace, cyber security and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Founded in South Australia in 2015, De Stefano & Co has grown into an award-winning and nationally recognised Defence security advisory firm, supporting government, as well as Prime Defence contractors and industry organisations operating in defence, national security and other highly regulated sectors.

Investment into the state of Victoria represents a significant milestone in the company’s ambition to become Australia’s ‘go-to’ in Defence security, while maintaining the high-touch, client-focused approach that has underpinned its success since inception.

Braeden Clark, Louisa Canning, Jeremy Watkinson and Emilio De Stefano – De Stefano & Co team

As outlined in the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the expansion comes at a pivotal time for Victoria’s burgeoning defence sector – the second largest in the country – responsible for generating $2.4 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2024 – 25.

The state’s defence industry GVA also increased by 40.7% from $1.67 billion in 2020 – 21 to $2.35 billion in 2024 – 25. The timing of De Stefano & Co’s expansion also aligns with Premier Ben Carroll’s call for Victoria to secure a greater share of AUKUS opportunities, leveraging the state’s strong defence, advanced manufacturing and research capabilities.

Located on Melbourne’s Bourke Street, the new premises places De Stefano & Co within close proximity to Defence, Prime contractors and the defence and advanced manufacturing supply chain participants that it supports.

Furthermore, the establishment of the Melbourne office reinforces De Stefano & Co’s commitment to partnering with government, Prime Defence contractors and key industry bodies to support Australian industry, strengthen sovereign capability and help drive opportunities across Victoria’s defence, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Looking ahead, De Stefano & Co is focused on the long-term growth of its Victorian operations, with the state expected to account for more than 30% of its work in Defence security by mid-2027.

Establishing a permanent presence in Victoria will provide greater access to some of the largest manufacturing precincts in the country, and one of Australia’s strongest talent pools. This will support the company in its dedication to building a collaborative, engaging workplace culture that attracts, develops and retains industry-leading professionals.

The news follows a period of significant growth and industry recognition for De Stefano & Co, including being named 2025 Cyber Business of the Year at the Australian Defence Industry Awards, 2026 Cyber Consulting Business of the Year – SME and 2026 Cyber Professional of the Year – Defence (Jeremy Watkinson, Head of Protective Security Services) at the Australian Cyber Awards.

Hon Dr David Feeney, Victorian Defence Industry Advocate:

Congratulations to De Stefano & Co on the occasion of the opening of their new office in Melbourne. Given Victoria’s central role in our nation’s defence industry, this is the place to be! Victoria’s new Premier, Ben Carroll, has declared at the very outset of his premiership that he’s ‘a Premier who backs AUKUS’ and that further developing defence industry here will be a priority for his government. Premier Carroll understands the opportunities – and he understands Victoria’s strengths.

Victoria is home to the ADFs most significant training bases – HMAS Cerberus, RAAF Base East Sale and the Puckapunyal Military Area. Our regions are integrated into our defence industry too, with Thales in Bendigo, Hanwha in Geelong and NIOA in Benalla. The weapons systems of the future are being developed for the ADF here by companies such as Sypaq and AIM Defence.

Home to some 24% of the nation’s workforce, Victoria’s strength is its people, supported by Australia’s finest Universities and a thriving TAFE sector. With Melbourne being Australia’s largest general cargo and container port, and home to Australia’s largest manufacturing workforce, almost every defence activity in Australia today relies upon Victorian advanced manufacturing in some way.

Every defence business needs a presence here, including De Stefano & Co!

Emilio De Stefano, CEO & Managing Director, De Stefano & Co:

Opening an office in Melbourne marks a significant milestone in our ambition to become Australia’s ‘go-to’ in Defence security. In a relationship-driven industry, being close to clients and having boots on the ground matters. Establishing a permanent presence in Victoria allows us to better understand client pain points, strengthen partnerships and provide the high-touch support organisations need as they navigate the increasingly complex security requirements mandated by Defence and government agencies.

This expansion underscores our continued investment in building capability and attracting talent, while strengthening our established client partnerships. Victoria’s defence, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors offer significant opportunities for growth and collaboration. We look forward to deepening our contribution to Australian industry, strengthening sovereign capability and supporting major national priorities, including AUKUS.

We’re investing in Victoria with a long-term perspective. Our focus isn’t on immediate returns, but on building enduring relationships, growing sustainably, and contributing meaningfully to the state’s Defence and security ecosystem. We know Victoria is a powerhouse when it comes to land-based programs, aerospace and advanced manufacturing more broadly, but we’re also seeing the state play an increasingly important role in areas such as guided weapons and explosive ordnance (GWEO), quantum and cyber.

About De Stefano & Co

Founded in 2015, De Stefano & Co is a multi-award winning Defence security advisory firm. As Australia’s most trusted partner in Defence security, De Stefano & Co helps its clients across government and industry in uplifting security maturity, developing organisational resilience and building trust. Although best known as Australia’s leading provider of DISP membership attainment related services, its multi-disciplinary team of Defence security and cyber experts support its clients across Australia and abroad in governance, risk management, insider risk, physical security, cyber security, strategic security advisory and more.

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