It has been suggested that every complex problem has a solution that is clear, simple, and wrong. But even seemingly intractable challenges can be made manageable when a coherent strategy is combined with a straightforward plan of action – one that can be broken down into discrete steps, communicated in a logical and persuasive manner, and executed by normal humans within the constraints of the resources available. The goal of AVERNICA is to bring new thinking, the discipline of practical execution, and hands-on leadership to bear on complex problems in the defence and security domain. Too much of what passes for management consulting these days is either simplistic, hopelessly derivative and weighed down by jargon, or needlessly complicated and academically obscure. Consulting relationships often come with a thinly disguised overlay of self-interest. There is much talk about putting client needs first, but the reality is that industrial-scale management consulting often seeks to recycle the same formulaic approach to problems with the goal of minimizing effort to maximize returns – preferably while creating a revenue-enhancing consultant co-dependent model that nibbles around but never fully grapples with the problem at hand. Such shortfalls are magnified in the defence and security domain, where comparatively few practitioners combine hands-on military, public service, and industry experience at the highest levels with academic rigour, advanced communication skills, and the deep familiarity with industry issues needed to address difficult issues in a comprehensive, sophisticated, yet realistic manner. These are the core competencies that AVERNICA brings to the fight. Along with a strong desire to work on challenging problems with interesting, engaged people and organizations, I have a genuine interest in advancing the state of defence and security discourse and practice in Canada.