Mr Andrew Thomas

Mr Andrew Thomas is the Chief Technology Officer and a Co-Founder of Kite Aero, an Australian aerospace technology company that develops long-range autonomous aircraft and the software systems that support their operation. Kite Aero builds on almost a decade of innovation in the drone logistics sector and is focused on delivering safe, reliable and scalable aviation systems for use across logistics, infrastructure and environmental applications.

Mr Thomas graduated from Monash University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Business Information Systems. He began his career in the Forensic Technology team at PwC, where he gained experience working inside complex organisations and learned the importance of clear thinking, careful listening and methodical problem solving. This early stage of his career built his confidence in tackling unfamiliar challenges and working productively with teams under significant time pressure.

After several years in consulting, Mr Thomas moved into independent contracting. This period exposed him to a broad range of organisations, including mining, banking, government and smaller specialised companies. Contract roles often have minimal onboarding and require a rapid understanding of new environments. Mr Thomas learned how to step into unfamiliar projects, understand the organisation's goals, and deliver value quickly. It was also a stage that strengthened his appreciation for professional relationships and the positive impact of strong team culture.

In 2017, Mr Thomas co-founded Swoop Aero, a company created to transform global access to essential supplies through autonomous aircraft. Over seven years, the company grew to more than 100 employees working across Australia, Africa, and Europe. Mr Thomas led the development of both the physical aircraft and the digital systems, including aircraft software, cloud platforms, and remote-pilot tools. The company delivered large-scale medical logistics networks and helped demonstrate the potential for autonomous aircraft to improve access to healthcare.

In 2024, following external commercial pressures, the company entered voluntary administration. Although a challenging period for all involved, it became an essential stage of learning about leadership, resilience and the realities of building new technology companies. The aircraft, software and intellectual property were later purchased, and Mr Thomas joined the new venture as a Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, where the team is now rebuilding and scaling with a fresh focus.

Mr Thomas has strong views on corporate culture; in particular, that everyone has a personal responsibility to actively contribute to and reinforce a positive culture. A core component of this is always displaying a high level of integrity. This leads to ‘trust’, which provides the foundation and scaffolding for rapid business evolution, effective decision-making, and getting through the inevitable difficult times.