Arthur Sinodinos, former Australian Ambassador to the United States, has officially been revealed as the newest Chair of the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney.
The USSC revealed the appointment earlier this month on 16 June with Sinodinos succeeding Mark Baillie in the role.
The former Ambassador to the US boasts a wealth of political and diplomatic experience, having served in numerous other roles including as a Senator for NSW and Chief of Staff from 1997-2007 for then Prime Minister John Howard.
Addressing the appointment, Chief Executive Officer Dr Mike Green said:
“Ambassador Sinodinos has long been a friend of the United States Studies Centre. To have him as chair is a real coup because there are few people better placed to speak to the nature of the US-Australia relationship in this current era.”
The USSC highlighted in their announcement that Sinodinos, currently serving as Partner and Chair of Australia Practice for The Asia Group, is at the forefront of conversations about Australia’s role and relationships across the Indo-Pacific region.
He played a key role in high-level negotiations around AUKUS, the Quad and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
Speaking at the Centre’s Sydney International Strategy Forum in 2024, Ambassador Sinodinos noted:
“What we’ve got to be able to say to the Americans is that the economic and security architecture in the region is vital to their interest and to remind them of that, and, if it’s America first, it can’t be America only.”
