Military Veterans' Group July Lunch

Born in Australia, Dr. Mark Cowan-Aston finished school in the UK and joined the British Army in 1975 as a private soldier in a Potential Officer program. After passing the officer selection course, Mark attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 1976 to 77, graduating into the Queen’s Regiment. He was posted as a mechanised platoon commander to the 1st Bn, 1 Queens in Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) 3rd Division during the Cold War.

In June 1978, the battalion came out of its NATO role to deploy to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Mark commanded a rifle platoon for a 6-month tour at the height of the “Troubles”. Following this successful tour, the battalion returned to Germany in its NATO role.

After completing his short service commission, Mark returned to Australia in 1980 and joined the Australian Army in 1982, serving in D Coy (Para) 6RAR, as a Training Development Officer at 1 RTB Kapooka, and as a company 2IC in 3 RAR (Para). Subsequently, Mark served as SO3 Ops (Air) at 1 Bde HQ and as a member of the Australian Army Advisory Team, Malaysia, where he served with 8 Ranger Bn in Melacca. Mark’s final posting was as an SO2 (Ops) with Land Force HQ. During his service, he was qualified as a Parachute Jump Instructor and Free Fall Instructor.

After his service, Mark embarked on a business career in management consulting. Among many roles, he served as a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers and a Director at Ernst & Young. Specialising in organisational development, business improvement, and leadership development, Mark has worked with hundreds of businesses across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK to improve productivity, efficiency, and profitability.

In 2020, Mark commenced working as a contractor to Defence as a Defence Industry Adviser, working with business owners and senior executives of small- to medium-sized businesses that delivered to (or intended to deliver to) the Defense supply chain. He is still in this role today.

Mark completed his Doctorate in Business Leadership in 2025.

While some menu items may not include specific allergens as ingredients, all our food is made in a facility that contains allergens. Therefore, we are unable to guarantee there are no allergens in the food and beverages served from this menu.

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