DGI 2026

23 - 25 February 2026

Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London

Melissa Best

Melissa Best

Assistant Secretary Intelligence and Insights Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation

Melissa Best currently serves as the Assistant Secretary Intelligence & Insights Branch at the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO). In this role, Melissa leads a branch focussed on delivering diverse production and services on intelligence issues for Defence and Government.

Melissa joined AGO in 2021 after a 16-year career working for the Department of Home Affairs in a range of operational and intelligence roles focussed on Border Compliance and Customs. Melissa was awarded the Australian Border Force Operational Medal for her efforts on the COVID-19 border closures. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration (Management) from Flinders University and Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management.

Day 3 | 25th February 2026

12:00 PM Leadership Fireside Chat – Indo-Pacific GEOINT: How Indo-Pacific Partners Can Share Trusted GEOINT to Strengthen Regional Security and Strategic Stability

  • Build Trusted Networks: How to establish secure frameworks for GEOINT exchange across allied and regional defence partners. 
  • Enable Shared Awareness: How to deliver timely, trusted intelligence to support joint operations across Indo-Pacific theatres. 
  • Strengthen Regional Resilience: How to use GEOINT collaboration to deter coercion, monitor threats, and protect vital infrastructure. 
  • Promote Data Interoperability: How to align standards and systems to ensure seamless geospatial data sharing across jurisdictions. 


Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Melissa.

Download The Latest Agenda