The AJBCC is controlled by a Board of Directors who give their time voluntarily. It represents a cross-section of organisations and people with significant experience in Australia-Japan trade and investment.
The Board meets regularly and is responsible for formulating the organisation’s strategic direction, business community engagement, and corporate governance.
The Board also meets twice annually with the Board of the JABCC.
President
Peter Grey AM
President
Peter Grey AM
Peter was appointed President of the AJBCC in October 2021. He served the Independent Chairman of the Board of MLC Life Insurance until October 2025. He is also a Member of the Corporate Council of the European Australian Business Council (EABC) and a member of the Asia Society Advisory Council. Peter Grey was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours list for 2026.
Peter spent more than 40 years in the Federal Government in various roles including as the CEO of Austrade, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and as Australia’s Ambassador to Japan, the EU, WTO and our first Ambassador for APEC. He was also Australia’s Chief Trade Negotiator for a substantial period.
After leaving government, Peter served as Co-Chair of the Australian-Japan business group of Corrs Chambers Westgarth and was senior advisor international at Link Group. Previously, he has been a board member of the Australia Japan Foundation, the Australia China Council, the Council on Australia Latin America Relations, and the Australia Korea Business Council. He was awarded an Order of the Rising Sun with gold and silver stars from the Government of Japan in 2017.
Vice Presidents
Debra Hazelton
Chair, Export Finance Australia
Debra Hazelton
Debra is Chair of Export Finance Australia, a non-executive director of Westpac Banking Corporation, Australia Post, and Persol Holdings Co. Ltd, Vice President of the Australia‑Japan Business Cooperation Committee, and the immediate past Chair of AMP Ltd and AMP Bank.
Her corporate banking career has focused on Australia and Japan. She was the first non‑Japanese senior executive in a Head Office global role at a Japanese mega-bank, the first non‑Japanese CEO of a Japanese bank in Australia, and the first woman to lead an Australian bank in Japan.
Debra holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in Finance and Economics, Philosophy, and Japanese, and studied at the University of Sydney, UNSW, and Keio University. She received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 2026 and the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Commendation in 2024.
Bob Seidler AM
Principal, Kokusai Business Advisory
Bob Seidler AM
Bob Seidler’s 48-year career has been focused on the Japanese-Australian relationship, having served on the boards of many companies owned by one or more of Australians, Japanese and others in a wide variety of industries. He was the first Australian licensed to practice law in Japan and while living in Tokyo was appointed to represent Australia and New Zealand on the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry Import Board.
In 2017 Bob was honoured to receive from Japan The Order of the Rising Sun Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in recognition of his contribution to strengthening economic relations between Japan and Australia.
Bob is a former Chairman of Leighton Asia and Leighton Properties, and former member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee in Japan and Federal Governments Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee.
Currently Bob acts as a:
- Member of Board for CIMIC Group Limited (formerly Leighton Holdings Limited)
- Vice-President of the Australia-Japan Business Co-operation Committee
- Senior Regional Executive APAC Hitachi
- A principal of Kokusai Business Advisory
- A Director of Hitachi Australia Pty Ltd
Ian Williams
Chair, NEX Building Group
Ian Williams
Ian was awarded the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Commendation for 2016 for his contribution to the promotion of business and sporting exchanges between Japan and Australia.
Treasurer
Doug Bartley
Director, Maximise Group Pty Ltd
Doug Bartley
Currently Treasurer and Director of the AJBCC and a non-executive Director of unlisted and not-for-profit companies. Formerly KPMG Victorian Chairman and Partner managing the KPMG Australian/Japanese Business Practice and Audit Partner to a number of Australian subsidiaries of Japanese companies.
Directors
Andrew Gauci
Chairman, Japan
Executive Director, Development Partnerships, Lendlease
Andrew Gauci
Andrew assumed his present position as Chairman Japan & Executive Director, Development Partnerships in July 2024 after 17 years as the Managing Director and CEO of the Lendlease business in Japan. During his tenure, the business in Japan has seen tremendous growth and diversification, from a leading Project Management provider to becoming a successful Real Estate Investment and Development organisation. This diversification includes Japan’s first independent telecoms tower company, a major data centre development, R&D and office value-add conversions. Through his extensive relationships in Japan, Andrew has facilitated Japanese capital investing into Lendlease products in London, New York, Sydney and Melbourne. With over A$12 billion in end-value projects invested to date, his current role will focus on growing these partnerships to facilitate new investments and real estate development across diverse product lines including Build to Rent, Office, Industrial, Data Centres and Apartments.
Andrew served as the Chair of Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan from 2016 to 2019 and currently sits on the Board of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC).
Ben Opie
Chair and Lead Tax Partner, Global Japan Practice, KPMG Australia
Ben Opie
Ben Opie is the Chair and Lead Tax Partner of KPMG’s Global Japanese Practice in Australia. He has been a partner of the firm since 2008 working predominantly in New South Wales and Western Australia.
Ben is passionate about the strong business and cultural relationship between Australia and Japan and has been fortunate to be able to support this through his professional work, coordinating teams to support the success of significant Japanese investment into Australia, and contributing to various community-based Japanese organisations.
He is a regular visitor to Japan and has worked alongside organisations such as JETRO and Austrade, providing taxation, economic and political update presentations in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.
Ben joined KPMG as a graduate in 1998 after completing a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Western Australia.
Mark van Dyck
Mark van Dyck
Michael Easson AM
Executive Chairman and Co-founder, EG Funds Management
Michael Easson AM
Michaela Browning
CEO for Asia Pacific, Brunswick Group
Michaela Browning
As the Vice President and Regional Head of Government and Public Policy for Asia Pacific at Google, Michaela Browning oversaw the company’s interactions with governments, institutions, businesses, and civil society stakeholders in the region.
Prior to this, Michaela held a range of senior positions in the Australian government, including as a senior diplomat of over 27 years with a focus on Asia, trade and security, including a number of senior roles responsible for strengthening Australia’s relationship with Japan.
She was the inaugural CEO of the National Foundation for Australia China Relations in 2020. She served as Australia’s Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau from 2017 to 2020, and on diplomatic missions in Singapore and Thailand. She also served as senior international adviser to Australian foreign and defense ministers.
Michaela has held senior trade and economic roles including leading global investment promotion activities, and leading Australia’s established markets operations for Australia’s trade and investment commission. She previously led Australia’s development assistance program for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was a trade negotiator to the WTO and for Australia’s free trade agreements with the US and Singapore. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the board of CPA Australia, an Ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, and advisory committee roles in education and humanitarian disaster response organisations.
She has a Bachelor of Economics and Masters in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University, with a focus on Japan and Japanese language.
Paul Jenkins
Chief Executive Officer, Ashurst
Paul Jenkins
Paul Jenkins is Ashurst’s Global CEO and is based in Sydney and London. He is a member of the Ashurst board and has been a partner at the firm since 2006.
Paul lived and practised as a lawyer in Tokyo early in his career, and now regularly visits Japan where Ashurst has one of its 29 offices.
Paul was the first law firm leader to join the Champions of Change Coalition (CCC). CCC works with prominent leaders from the Australian business community to redefine men’s role in taking action on gender inequality. Paul leads the firm’s global Committed to Change programme (C2C) in which partners raise awareness and acceptance of diversity and inclusion in the firm.
Paul was recently recognised by the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Report as one of the Top 10 innovators in Asia Pacific, and in Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Leading Individual in Debt Capital Markets. Paul’s successful legal practice has encompassed banking, corporate finance, debt capital markets and securitisation, including acting for Japanese banks.
Paul joined Ashurst as a graduate and is a qualified solicitor in NSW and England and Wales.
Peter Yates AM
Executive Chair, Roadknight Investments
Peter Yates AM
Peter is Chairman of AIA Australia and a Non-Executive Director and Chair-Elect of Regal Partners, a Non-Executive Director of Mutual Trust and of the Australian Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC). He is Chairman of the Royal Institution of Australia, the Australian Science Media Centre, the Shared Value Project and a member of the Advisory Board of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue (AALD).
Peter was CEO of Oceania Capital Partners and held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited from 2001-2004. He worked in the Investment Banking industry including 15 years with Macquarie Bank. He began his career in the Tokyo Office of Booz, Allen and Hamilton. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Murdoch University, a Masters from Stanford University and a Commerce degree from Melbourne University. He speaks Japanese, having studied at Keio University in Tokyo and Yamate High School in Yokohama.
Peter was Chairman of the Faculty of Business and Economics at Melbourne University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication at UNSW, the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, Deputy Chairman of The Myer Family Investments and Asialink, and a Director of Linfox Australia, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Crown Ltd, Foxtel Ltd, The Nine Network, the National Portrait Gallery, The Centre for Independent Studies and the Australia-Japan Foundation.
In the June 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Peter was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and the AICD. In 2019 he was awarded the Australian Academy of Science Medal.
Sally Auld
Chief Economist, National Australia Bank
Sally Auld
Sally is Chief Economist of National Australia Bank. Previously, she was Chief Investment Officer at JBWere. Prior to joining JBWere, Sally was Managing Director and Chief Economist at JP Morgan Australia and New Zealand. Sally has also worked in economics and markets research at both ANZ and Credit Suisse.
Sally completed her Bachelor of Economics with first class honours and the university medal at The University of Sydney and has also completed a Doctorate of Philosophy in Economics at Oxford University.
She is Chair of the SCEGGS Darlinghurst Ltd. Board, a member of the Public Policy Committee of the Grattan Institute and a member of the Finance and Investments Committee for the Children’s Medical Research Institute.
Tim Lester
Executive Chair, Jameson Boyce Partners
Tim Lester
Tim Lester is the Executive Chair of Australian based Asia Pacific consulting and advisory firm, Jameson Boyce Partners, and was appointed to the Board of Kirin Holdings Ltd in March 2026. As a chair, director, leader, legal counsel and adviser Tim has stand-out expertise and insight derived from over 30 years of Australian, regional and global experience across Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. He is an expert in bilateral relations between Australia and Japan and fluent in Japanese. Supporting the value he brings to the AJBCC, Tim has led and advised on some of the largest and most complex projects and transactions in the region.
He has particularly deep experience across the energy, green energy and resources sectors, including supporting companies and guiding and advising boards on important strategic investments and transactions (including their funding) as well as providing advice and guidance on strategic direction, risk, good governance and positioning organisations in responses to changes in the regulatory and policy environments across Australia and the region. Tim’s expertise and experience is also built on his many years of chairing industry bodies and not for profit organisations (as well sitting on their boards)- such as the ANZCCJ, the Australia Japan Foundation, the UWA Business School Board and its Ambassadorial Council and many others, his long history of working across Sydney, Perth and Tokyo and advising and supporting Governments (and their agencies) in Australia, in Japan and the region on trade and investment initiatives and policy. Tim is also currently Chair of the AJBCC’s Clean Energy Transition Advisory Committee.
Veronica L. Taylor
Professor, Australian National University
Veronica L. Taylor
Veronica L. Taylor is Professor of Law and Regulation at the Australian National University (ANU) and Visiting Professor in Law at the University of Tokyo. Her research and policy work focusses on regulation, rule of law, and corporate governance. She is currently an Expert Advisor to the Deregulation Taskforce (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet), Deputy Chair of the Australia-Japan Foundation (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), a non-Executive Director of the Foundation for Australia-Japan Studies, and a non-Executive Director of ANU Enterprise. She received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Citation in 2017.
Ex Officio Members
Byron Frost
Chair, Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ANZCCJ)
Byron Frost
Byron is a Partner at global law firm Baker McKenzie, where he brings a wealth of expertise to clients navigating complex cross-border M&A and commercial transactions. With a keen focus on industries such as technology, consumer goods and retail, and hospitality, Byron bridges diverse markets and delivers practical solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs.
Having called Tokyo home for the past decade, Byron’s passion for fostering connections between Japan and Australia began early-sparked by his very first Japanese lesson in Grade 1. Since then, he has dedicated himself to building enduring relationships and advancing collaboration between the two countries.
Byron is qualified as a solicitor in Australia (admitted to the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Queensland) and registered as a Foreign Registered Lawyer (gaikokuho jimu bengoshi) in Japan.
Natsuko Ogawa
Chair, Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF)
Natsuko Ogawa
Ms Natsuko Ogawa was appointed Chair of the Australia-Japan Foundation on 5 September 2024. She is a partner at Ashurst, a global law firm. She specialises in mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures for Japanese companies investing and doing business in Australia.
Born in Perth, Ms Ogawa was raised by her Japanese parents to value her cultural identity. Encouraged by family friends working for Japanese investors, she pursued a career as a lawyer capable of advising clients in Japanese on complex Australian transactions and projects.
Now in her 30th year at Ashurst, Ms Ogawa has had the privilege of “living and breathing” the Japan-Australia business relationship as it has expanded and diversified from its foundations in minority interests in mining and energy joint ventures to wholly-owned businesses across real estate, renewable energy, hydrogen, carbon farming, logistics, financial services and insurance, infrastructure, business services, food and beverage, agriculture (including forestry), retail and healthcare.
Ms Ogawa spent four years in Ashurst’s Tokyo office during which time she served on the executive council of the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan. She continues to be actively involved in building opportunities and connections between Japan and Australia, including as co-chair of the Australia-Japan Business Council of Victoria and as a member of the Australia-Japan Research Centre Advisory Board.
As a champion of diversity and inclusion, Ms Ogawa served as the chair of the Gender Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee of the Australia-Japan Business Co-operation Committee from 2023 to 2024. She was one of the founding members of the Australia-Japan Businesswomen’s Network in 2023. The Network has now launched in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Tokyo, Canberra and Perth for women to meet and support other women seeking opportunities in the Australia-Japan business community.
She is passionate about building Japan-Australia communities and future leaders through mentoring and sponsoring talented Japanese-speaking Australian-qualified lawyers.
Paul Grimes
Chief Executive Officer, Austrade
Paul Grimes
Dr Paul Grimes PSM brings diverse public sector experience to his role as the Chief Executive Officer of Austrade, spanning senior appointments across state, territory and federal levels of government.
In addition to previously serving as Secretary of the NSW Department of Treasury, and NSW Coordinator-General for Environment, Energy and Science, he is a former Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, and Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture.
Earlier, Dr Grimes was Associate Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Deputy Secretary (Budget Group) in the Australian Department of Finance. He has also served as Chief Executive of the ACT Department of Treasury and as Deputy Under Treasurer (Deputy Secretary) in the South Australian Department of Treasury and Finance. Before joining the South Australian public service, he led the Budget Policy Division in the Australian Treasury.
Dr Grimes is a former Chair of the NSW Net Zero Commission and National Archives of Australia Advisory Council. He has served on numerous boards, most recently as Deputy Chair of the NSW Treasury Corporation (TCorp), as a member of the Infrastructure NSW Board, and the Greater Cities Commission.
In 2010, Dr Grimes was awarded the Australian Public Service Medal. He holds PhD and Masters degrees in economics from the Australian National University.
Tamaki Oshima
Co-Chair, Future Leaders Program
Tamaki Oshima
As the Industry and Innovation Manager for the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Tamaki Oshima fosters connections between academia, government and industry, driving the development of long-term strategic partnerships and creating collaborative research opportunities. Her focus is on enabling large-scale, multidisciplinary, and cross-faculty initiatives that address critical societal and industry challenges.
Prior to joining UNSW in 2022, Tamaki held a similar role at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She also previously worked as the Corporate and Planning Officer at Canon Information Systems Research Australia (CiSRA), where she managed R&D projects and corporate activities, contributing to innovation in technology research and development.
Wenda Gumulya
Co-Chair, Future Leaders Program
Wenda Gumulya
Wenda Gumulya is an experienced program director with expertise in strategy, transformation, and sustainability. She has a strong background in advisory, assurance, and consulting, having served as a Director at a Big 4 accounting firm and worked across financial services, infrastructure, energy, mining, manufacturing, retail, technology, and government sectors in Japan, Australia, and the Asia Pacific.
Wenda has led major initiatives in corporate incubation and growth strategy, risk and compliance, regulatory reporting, change management, and technology implementation. Fluent in English, Japanese, and Indonesian, she actively contributes as a Co-Founder, Board Member, and Advisor to international non-profits, supporting impactful initiatives worldwide.