Qualifications in Agricultural Science; degree (Hons) in Economics. 1970s, animal health officer and then agricultural economist. 1980s, Executive Director, Cattle Council of Australia; then, Executive Director, National Farmers' Federation. 1990-97, Federal Director and Campaign Director, Liberal Party. 1997-2004, worked for Mr Kerry and James Packer, and advised companies in Australia and overseas; also built an Australia-wide direct marketing technology company; member of the investment team, Gorgan Gas Project. 2004, elected to the Federal seat of Goldstein; former Chairman, Government’s Workplace Relations Taskforce; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Minister for Vocational and Further Education; Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs; Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Climate Change; Chairman, Coalition Policy Development Committee; Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction. 2013, Minister for Trade and Investment. Former Board Member: Sinclair Knight Merz; Garvan Medical Research Foundation; Menzies Research Centre; Big Brother Big Sister. Former: Member, YWCA Leadership group; Honorary Treasurer, Liberal Party, NSW; Chairman, Australian Direct Marketing Association. Author of Black Dog Daze: Public Life, Private Demons. Recipient: Office of the Order of Australia (2003).