Gemma Whiting has joined U.S. engineering solutions provider Orbis, an AUKUS capability partner, as vice president of strategic initiatives to lead the company’s Australian operations.
In a LinkedIn post published Monday, Whiting said she is honored to join Orbis and participate in “a historic trilateral partnership that will shape the future of defense for Australia and in the Indo-Pacific.” She added that she looks forward to working with colleagues, clients, partners and the broader AUKUS community.
Established in 2000 and headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Orbis Inc. is a veteran-owned small business that provides engineering, technical and consulting services to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The company specializes in sustainment and support for nuclear-powered submarines. It operates regional business units across several cities, including Norfolk, San Diego and Washington, D.C. Services span the full defense acquisition life cycle from program management and delivery to modernization and certification.
Orbis also maintains a research and development laboratory focused on automated test equipment and other emerging technologies.
Before joining Orbis, Whiting held senior roles at Honeywell, most recently as director of AUKUS and previously as director of government relations. She also worked in policy, advocacy and consulting roles at Austal, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and Utopia Group Consulting.
Whiting holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School and a bachelor’s degree in laws and arts from the University of Western Australia.