Alexander John Gosse Downer

About

Hon. Alexander Downer, Companion of the Order of Australia, was executive chair of the International School for Government at King’s College London from 2018 until 2023 and is a visiting professor at King’s College and the University of Adelaide.

From 2014 to 2018, Downer was Australian high commissioner (ambassador) to the United Kingdom. Previously, he was Australia’s longest-serving minister for foreign affairs, a role he held from 1996 to 2007.

Downer served as Opposition Leader and leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 1994 to 1995 and was a member of the Australian Parliament for the Division of Mayo for over 20 years. 

In addition to serving in a range of other political and diplomatic roles, he was executive director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations secretary general’s special advisor on Cyprus, during which time he worked on peace talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. 

He is currently chairman of the UK think tank Policy Exchange, the chairman of Gold Hydrogen Ltd., and a nonexecutive director of Yellowcake PLC and Ironbark Pty Ltd.

Downer is a distinguished fellow of the Royal United Services Institute and is an academic bencher of Inner Temple, London.

Downer has a BA (Hons) in politics and economics and an honorary doctor of civil law from Newcastle University (UK). He has honorary doctorates from the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, and Bar Ilan University (Israel).