Supporting the Australian Defence Force since 1992, Acacia is a leading Australian defence software and systems engineering company engaged primarily in developing advanced mission management systems and tactical support applications.
The company maintains significant depth of skills in the areas of data fusion, tracking, sensor performance, data analysis and environmental mathematical modelling.
Translating these into advanced deployed systems is achieved through the application of disciplined systems, software and hardware engineering practice.
The team consists of talented, creative and highly skilled engineers, scientists and domain experts working closely to translate theory and ideas into future operational systems.
Acacia’s products have been designed and tested in demanding Australian and international operational environments including submarines, surface warships, unmanned systems and maritime safety aircraft.
Leadership Team
The team consists of talented, creative and highly skilled engineers, scientists and domain experts working closely to translate theory and ideas into future operational systems.
Ted Huber
Founder & Chairman
Ted founded Acacia in 1992 with a vision to create a nucleus of intelligent capability that could be applied to solving the toughest of defence problems.
Ted originally studied Biophysics, Physical Chemistry and Neuro Physiology at Flinders University and later Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Adelaide.
On a day to day basis Ted has focused on the areas of system design and has overseen detailed system development of the projects implemented by the company and the products developed.
Bob Humphreys
Chief Executive Officer
Former Naval officer and technology sector executive.
A proud veteran, Bob joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1984, completing his Engineering degree before serving in various postings, the highlight of which was as part of the commissioning crew of HMAS COLLINS.
Retiring in 2005, Bob’s post-Navy career includes experience in Chief Operations Officer, General Manager and listed company CEO roles in the technology sector. Bob moved back into the Defence sector in 2019, working with several companies with a focus on the delivery of critical capability enablers to the men and women in uniform who help protect our national interests.
Bob was honoured to take on the Acacia CEO role in July 2024 and is committed to leading the company through its continued growth with an absolute focus on ‘warfighter first’.
Ted Bullen
Chief Research Engineer
A career systems engineer with experience across space, aviation and defence industries.
Ted has been key to building the company’s capability to deliver mission critical systems to meet demanding customer requirements. Ted Joined the Acacia team in 2007 and by 2010 was promoted into a leadership role in the company.
He has overseen the delivery of Acacia’s Mission Management System for AMSA and delivered Acacia’s Advanced Sensor Tracker Demon modules for submarines and AAST in the Air Warfare Destroyer Integrated Sonar Suite. Ted holds a Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering.
Dave Bryant
Chief Software Engineer
Dave joined Acacia as a graduate in 1999 and took a three-year hiatus to learn about Big Data at Quantum in 2012 before returning to Acacia as Chief Software Engineer in 2015.
A talented architect with exceptional team building skills and a flair for producing elegant, future-oriented, working solutions.
As leader of the software team, Dave has been instrumental in expanding Acacia’s technology repertoire.
Barry Porter
Chief Financial Officer
With extensive financial, corporate and governance experience across a variety of different business sectors, Barry provided consulting services to Acacia for several years before stepping into the CFO role in February 2022.
Barry’s previous experience includes having been the founding CFO of one of Australia’s most successful mobile technology start-ups, where he helped secure major corporate investment and eventually managed the company’s listing onto the ASX. Barry’s experience also includes having been the founding CFO of SAHMRI where he was instrumental in the organisation’s rapid growth from 6 employees to having over 850 staff and assisted its transition from initially being focused on delivering the iconic $240m SAHMRI building, to becoming one of the largest and most successful medical research institutes in Australia.
Barry has an undergraduate degree in Accounting (BAcc), is a Fellow of the Australian Society of CPA’s (FCPA) and has an MBA from the University of Adelaide.
Anné de Wit
Chief Systems Engineer
Anné originally studied Computer Systems and joined Acacia in 2022, after 15 years of engineering across varied complex systems.
Originally based at HMAS Stirling as a graduate, Anné spent his formative years integrating the first Collins Replacement Combat System. Subsequent work in his career has covered engineering on a wide range of systems including control systems, communication systems, optical systems, radar, power generation and plant equipment. Anné is an avid learner, he is fluent in three languages and in early 2022 he passed the Nuclear Science micro-credential assessment from the Australian National University.
Anné’s varied history has sharpened both hard and soft skills, attributes critical to the success of system design and implementation.
Horden Wiltshire
Managing Director
Former submarine Commanding Officer and software company CEO.
Joining the Royal Australian Navy as a junior engineering officer, Horden transferred to the executive branch to pursue a career in submarines, serving in Oberon class submarines before joining the commissioning crew of HMAS COLLINS. The highlight of his career in the RAN was command of HMAS SHEEAN.
His subsequent corporate career resulted in more than twenty years as CEO of a number of technology companies, in the mobile internet domain and enterprise Software as a Service sector, delivering leading edge technology to customers around the world. Horden is based in the UK and is responsible for the global growth of the business.
Mark Merrifield
EVP EMEA
Mark is located in Bournemouth in the United Kingdom and provides Business Development support for Acacia Systems across the European, Middle East and African (EMEA) regions. Since leaving the Royal Australian Navy as a Commander after a 20-year career, having specialised in submarines, navigation and warfare, he has worked for ATLAS ELEKTRONIK in Germany and the UK (International Business Development), Ultra Electronics (Managing Director of Sonar Systems) and Drumgrange (Strategy Director), as well as providing consulting services.
Operating from the United Kingdom, he has conducted business in Europe, the Middle East, India, Turkey, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United States. Mark brings to Acacia considerable experience in submarine, surface and airborne ASW, Mine Warfare and Combat Management Systems design, development and tactical employment as well as international business.
