Frances Adamson

Frances Adamson

Adamson, pictured in 2011.
Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Assumed office
22 July 2016 (2016-07-22)
Personal details
Born (1961-04-20) 20 April 1961
Adelaide, South Australia
Nationality Australian
Children Four
Parents Jennifer Cashmore[1]
Alma mater University of Adelaide (BEc)
Occupation Public servant; diplomat

Frances Adamson (born 20 April 1961) is an Australian public servant and diplomat. On 20 July 2016, she was appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) by the Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull; the first ever female Secretary to be appointed to the portfolio.[2][3][4][5] From 2015 to 2016 she was foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and from 2011 to 2015 she was Australian Ambassador to China.

Early life and education

Adamson was born in Adelaide, Australia, the daughter of former South Australian politician Jennifer Cashmore and step-daughter of reporter Stewart Cockburn.[1] Adamson was educated at the Walford Anglican School for Girls and the University of Adelaide, where she received a Bachelor of Economics. In 1984 she was the first female captain of the Adelaide University Boat Club.[6]

Career

Adamson joined the Australian Public Service in 1985.. Her roles included Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2005–08), Representative to the Australian Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei (2000–05), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1998–2000), the Australian High Commission to the United Kingdom (1993–98) and the Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong (1987–1991).[7]

From 2009 to 2010, Adamson was Chief of Staff to Stephen Smith when he was Foreign Minister.[8]

Between 2011 and 2015 she held the post of Australian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, the first woman in the position.[9][10][11][12]

In 2015 she was appointed a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.[13][14]

On 20 July 2016, she was appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) by the Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull; the first ever female Secretary to be appointed to the portfolio.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Walker, Tony (22 January 2016). "PM's foreign affairs adviser Frances Adamson is a 'hard-headed realist'". Australian Financial Review. Fairfax Media.
  2. ↑ Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016), Biography of Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Government, archived from the original on 17 August 2016
  3. ↑ Doran, Matthew (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson appointed as DFAT's first female secretary". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016.
  4. ↑ Mannheim, Markus (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson becomes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's first female secretary". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 Turnbull, Malcolm (20 July 2016). "Ms Frances Adamson appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade" (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  6. ↑ Historical overview of the Adelaide University Boat Club, archived from the original on 26 February 2016
  7. ↑ Business Lunch with HE Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China (Melbourne), University of Melbourne, 3 July 2014, archived from the original on 7 April 2015
  8. ↑ Sheridan, Greg (28 November 2015). "Sound hands at the tiller: Malcolm Turnbull's picks astute picks". The Australian. News Corp Australia.
  9. ↑ Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "Ambassador to China". Australian Government. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Australian Ambassador to China". Australian Government. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015.
  11. ↑ Mcdonald, Hamish (21 March 2011). "Beijing envoy appointed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014.
  12. ↑ Beneba Clarke, Maxine (7 November 2015), "Meeting Frances Adamson, Australia's first lady in China", The Saturday Paper
  13. ↑ "Malcolm Turnbull overhauls the network of advisers at the highest level of government". Australian Financial Review. Fairfax Media. 6 November 2015. Former Beijing ambassador Frances Adamson will provide foreign policy advice.
  14. ↑ Mcdonald, Hamish (23 January 2016). "Turnbull's change of tone in foreign affairs". The Saturday Paper. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frances Adamson.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Sam Gerovich		 Representative, Australian Commerce and Industry Office Taipei
2000–2005 		Succeeded by
Steve Waters
Preceded by
Geoff Raby		 Australian Ambassador to China
2011–2015 		Succeeded by
Jan Elizabeth Adams
Government offices
Preceded by
Peter Varghese		 Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
2016 – present 		Incumbent
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