Today I announce the appointment of Ms Swati Dave as inaugural Chair of the Advisory Board to the Centre for Australia-India Relations.
The Centre for Australia-India Relations will open this year and serve as a national platform to further strengthen our relationship with India.
The Centre will promote stronger business and cultural understanding between our two countries. It will also deliver the Maitri (friendship) Program, involving research and cultural partnership grants, fellowships and scholarships.
Ms Dave brings valuable strategic, leadership and business experience to the role from her extensive senior executive and non-executive director roles across the public and private sectors.
She was most recently Managing Director and CEO of Export Finance Australia, and has held senior positions at National Australia Bank, Deutsche Bank, AMP Henderson Global Investors, Bankers Trust and Westpac.
Ms Dave currently serves as Deputy Chair of Asia Society Australia and as a member of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations' Advisory Board. She is also an Investment Committee member for QIC Global Infrastructure.
I look forward to working with Ms Dave on this important initiative as we seek to deepen our engagement with India, one of our most important regional partners.
