Post Event Update| New Deputy Head of Mission, Gerald Thomson Address

Event overview:

Prior to the AustCham Christmas Party, it will be our pleasure to formally introduce to our AustCham community the new Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, Mr Gerald Thomson. In his introduction, Mr Gerald Thomson will give an Australian Government perspective on the last 12 months in the Australia- China relations and outline priorities for the Embassy in 2017.

Photos from the new Deputy Head of Missions Address

Event details:

Date: Friday 16^th December 2016

Time: 5:30PM- 6:00PM

Price:
– 50RMB Briefing (Members)
– 100RMB Briefing (Non-members)
– 200RMB Briefing + Christmas Party Attendance (Members)
– 250RMB Briefing + Christmas Party Attendance (Non-Members)

Venue: Grand Hyatt Beijing, Drawing Room V, 北京東方君悅大酒店澄瑞厅

Location: 1 East Chang An Avenue, Beijing, China 100738 | 中国北京东长安街1号东方广场

Event agenda:

5:30PM – 5:35PM: AustCham Introduction of Mr. Thomson
5:35PM – 5:50PM: Mr. Thomson’s address (introductory remarks)
5:50PM – 6:00PM: Q&A
6:00PM: End of address and Christmas Party begins

Gerald Thomson:

Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, Beijing

Biography:

Mr Gerald Thomson is Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy, Beijing.

Prior to commencing in his current position in November 2016, Mr Thomson served as Australia’s Ambassador to Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia (2013-16) at the Australian Embassy in Stockholm.

A career diplomat, Mr Thomson has extensive experience in Asia and the Pacific. For three years (2010-12), he was Assistant Secretary, North East Asia Branch in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Canberra, responsible for Japan, Mongolia and the Korean Peninsula, and for the year prior to that he served as the Director, Korean Peninsula and Mongolia Section, DFAT.

From 2005 to 2008, Mr Thomson was Counsellor (Political and Economic) at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and he served as Director, Papua New Guinea Section from 2003 to 2005. He also worked as an Executive Officer in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Branch in DFAT (2001-03).

From 1999 to 2000, Mr Thomson was seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet where he was an advisor on trade matters, particularly in the Asia-Pacific.

From 1996 to 1999, Mr Thomson served at the Australian Embassy, Beijing, initially as Third Secretary (Economic), then as First Secretary (Agriculture and Resources). Prior to that, he studied Mandarin for 20 months.

Mr Thomson joined DFAT in 1993.

Earlier in his career, he worked in the banking sector in Western Australia.

Mr Thomson is married with two children.