17 November 2023

Foreign Minister announces new Ambassador, High Commissioner and Consul-General appointments

| Andrew McLaughlin
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Senator Penny Wong

Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong has announced a new round of diplomatic appointments. Photo: Facebook.

Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong has announced a new round of Ambassador, High Commissioner and Consul-General appointments.

Glenn Miles is Australia’s next Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq, succeeding Ambassador Paula Ganly in the role.

Mr Miles is a senior officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Australia’s Special Representative on Afghanistan in Doha. He has previously served as Head of Mission in Egypt, Lebanon and Kuwait and Head of the Australian Representative Office in Ramallah. He has had postings in Fiji, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Jenny Da Rin has been appointed the next High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya with accreditation to the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republics of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. Ms Da Rin will replace outgoing High Commissioner Luke Williams in the role.

Ms Da Rin is a senior officer in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary of the Southeast Asia Development Policy and Programs Branch. She has previously served as High Commissioner to Vanuatu, as well as in Ethiopia and Indonesia.

READ ALSO New Australian ambassadorial appointments announced for strategic outposts including China and Russia

Megan Jones has been appointed as the next Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, succeeding Ambassador Paul Kelly in the role.

Ms Jones is a senior officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary of the Indian Ocean and South Asia Regional Branch. She has previously served in Australia’s Mission to ASEAN and in China and India.

Tanya Bennett has been appointed as Australia’s next Consul-General in Los Angeles and will replace Consul-General Jane Duke in the role.

Ms Bennett is a senior officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary, First Nations Taskforce. She has previously served in Japan and at Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

Leilani Bin-Juda has been appointed as the next High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, replacing Acting High Commissioner Leann Johnston, who has acted in the role since 2022.

Ms Bin-Juda was most recently Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Diplomatic Academy, has served overseas as Acting High Commissioner in Tuvalu and Niue, and had postings in China, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

READ ALSO Penny Wong announces new Ambassador, High-Commissioner and Consuls General

Katy Stuart has been appointed as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Niue, succeeding High Commissioner Louise Ellerton and Acting High Commissioner William Powell in the role.

Ms Stuart is an experienced public servant who was most recently Assistant Director of the Green Economy Implementation Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has previously served overseas in Timor-Leste.

Ridwaan Jadwat has been announced as Australia’s next Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, to succeed Ambassador Heidi Venamore in the role.

Mr Jadwat is a senior officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is currently Australia’s Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He was most recently First Assistant Secretary, Middle East and Africa Division, and has previously served as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in addition to holding postings in Malaysia and Iran.

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Trevor Willis10:07 am 19 Nov 23

Isn’t it great to see so many females getting head of post positions.

Isn’t it great to read the background of all these appointees — they all held senior roles with DFAT.

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