Institute of Public Administration Australia (ACT) Limited

Peter Woolcott AO served as the Australian Public Service Commissioner from 2018 until his retirement in 2023. He stewarded the APS through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, commenced the process of implementing the Thodey Review and under his leadership, the APS Academy was established.

Previously, Peter served as former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s chief of staff. He was also Australia’s High Commissioner to New Zealand (2016-2017), Ambassador for the Environment (2014-16) and lead negotiator for Australia at the Paris Climate Agreement, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Ambassador for Disarmament (2010-2014), Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues (2009), and Ambassador to Italy (2004-2007). Peter was also President of the UN Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (2014).

Peter was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2017 for his distinguished service to public administration in the field of international relations.

Peter is currently a Vice Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow at Monash University. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership and an Independent Governor of the Forrest Research Foundation.