Secretary or Deputy Secretary

Dr Webster is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She has been Acting Deputy Secretary International Security, Legal and Consular Group since April 2026. Prior to this she was DFAT’s Chief Security Officer, a role she had held since October 2023.

From December 2020 to October 2023, Dr Webster was Australia’s Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. She acted as First Assistant Secretary of DFAT’s Consular and Crisis Management Division in 2020, following her role as Assistant Secretary of the Crisis Preparedness and Management Branch through 2019.

Dr Webster has worked in DFAT since 2015, firstly as Director of the United Nations Economic and Development team and then as Director of the Media and Parliamentary team. Before joining DFAT, she worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s International Division, leading the team responsible for Australia’s relationship with Europe, multilateral organisations and the Pacific.

Dr Webster holds a PhD and Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in philosophy from the Australian National University.

Mr Jamie Isbister is the Deputy Secretary, Development, Multilateral and Europe Group (DMG) at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Before this he was the Deputy Head, Office of the Pacific and the Head of the Strategic Infrastructure and Economic Division.

Department of Foreign Affairs and trade Chief of Protocol

George Mina is responsible for the Trade and Investment Group

Ms Peak is the Head of the Office of the Pacific in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Prior she was Deputy Head and First Assistant Secretary, Pacific Strategy Division (2020-2023), co-Head of the COVID Development Taskforce and First Assistant Secretary Human Development and Governance Division (2019-2020).

Ms Peak has served overseas as Minister Counsellor (Economic) at the Australian Embassy in Beijing (2016-19) and Counsellor at the Australian High Commission in Ottawa (2006-08).

Ms Peak has represented Australia in negotiation of free trade agreements and in the United Nations on climate change, including as Assistant Secretary, Free Trade Agreements Division (2014-16), Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Climate Negotiations (2010-11), Director of the Office of International Climate Law (2008 2010). Prior to joining DFAT, Ms Peak was a lawyer at Freehills and Dwyer Durack.

Ms Peak holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Kellogg-HKUST (2014), Master of Laws (International) from ANU (2009) and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland (1996).

Jan Adams AO PSM was appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1 July 2022. Prior to this, Ms Adams was Australia's Ambassador to Japan from November 2020 to June 2022 and before that Australia's Ambassador to China from 2016 to 2019.

Michelle Chan is the Deputy Secretary, Southeast Asia and Global Partners Group, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She is Australia’s ASEAN, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Official.

Craig Maclachlan is the department's Chief Operating Officer (COO) and responsible for the Enabling Services Group.

Elly Lawson is the Deputy Secretary, Geostrategic Group, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.