Media release
13 August 2009
Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
The Government will recommend to the Governor-General in Executive Council that Mr Nick Warner PSM be appointed to the position of Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, (ASIS), effective from 17 August 2009.
Mr Warner will replace Mr David Irvine who took up the position of Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) earlier this year.
Mr Steven Robinson has been Acting Director-General since that time.
Mr Warner has been the Secretary of Defence since December 2006.
Mr Warner has a distinguished 30-year career of Australian public service. He has also held senior management and policy positions within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and was Senior Advisor (International) to the Prime Minister (2005-2006).
Mr Warner’s overseas service includes the roles of the Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (2003-2004); High Commissioner, Port Moresby (1999-2003); and Ambassador, Tehran (1994-1997).
Mr Warner worked with the Office of National Assessments and the Joint Intelligence Organisation before joining DFAT in 1988.
Mr Warner was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2006 for outstanding public service as High Commissioner to Port Moresby, Special Coordinator for the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and leader of the Emergency Response Team which dealt with the kidnapping in Baghdad of Mr Douglas Wood.
Mr Warner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in History and Asian Studies and a Master of Arts degree in History from the Australian National University. He was born in Singapore, is married to Rosanne and has five children.
The Government very much appreciates the role that the Acting Director-General Mr Steven Robinson has played since the departure of Mr Irvine.
I thank Mr Robinson for his leadership and the very strong contribution he has made to ASIS in his time as Acting Director-General.
Media inquiries:
- Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555