David Lawson brings extensive experience in international trade, with a career spanning multiple senior roles in Austrade since 1997. He began as Trade Commissioner and Consul in Sendai, Japan, followed by stints in South Australia and San Francisco, in the latter of which he served as Consul-General and Trade Commissioner. David established Australia’s Consulate-General in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and subsequently led Austrade’s NSW & ACT State Office. From 2015 to 2016, he was Trade Commissioner in Tokyo, focusing on sectors like defence and biotechnology, and later served as Consul-General in Osaka. Recently, David led Austrade’s Agribusiness Expansion Initiative in Sydney and managed the TradeStart program. A graduate of ANU and the University of Adelaide, he holds qualifications in Economics, Asian Studies, and the Commercialisation of Science and Technology.