William Elischer

William Elischer is Managing Director, Wildcat Defense, leading the firm's investment activities and strategic development across defense and national security. He brings more than two decades of experience in military service, diplomacy and government.

Before joining Wildcat, he led national security capability development programs for government officials at the Australian National University's National Security College, on secondment from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He began his career in the British Army, training as a Commando before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and commissioning into the infantry. His service included operational counter-terrorism tours, NATO staff appointments and postings at the British Embassies in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. He later transferred to the Australian Army.

At Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, he held responsibility for diplomatic security in Islamabad, Baghdad and Kabul before becoming Director of Operational Security, with a global remit for Australian diplomatic personnel and missions. He subsequently served as Director of Defence and National Security and as the inaugural Director of Counter-Terrorism for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

His later responsibilities included conventional weapons counter-proliferation and defense export controls. His most recent diplomatic posting was Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Riyadh.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia and a Certificate in Security Risk Management. He speaks Arabic and French.