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Australia’s minister for foreign affairs has announced the appointment of Australia’s next ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technology.
Jessica Hunter, a 20-year veteran of the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre, will replace the outgoing ambassador, Brendan Dowling.
“The ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technology leads Australia’s international engagement on cyber affairs and critical technology issues while delivering cyber capacity and resilience building, and incident responses across our region,” Senator Penny Wong said in a recent statement.
“Ms Hunter will steer Australia’s international engagement under Australia’s 2023-2030 Cyber Security Strategy, focused on enhancing our role as a trusted and influential global cyber leader in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The strategy outlines Australia’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of our region and shaping international efforts to meet the evolving challenges of cyber space.”
Hunter is currently the ACSC’s First Assistant Director-General and has had a wide-ranging career alongside many of Australia’s most important allies.
“Ms Hunter has had a distinguished career in cyber affairs, including in the Australian Cyber Security Centre,” Senator Wong said.
“She has served overseas as head of Cyber Threat Operations Technical Teams, National Cyber Security Centre, in the United Kingdom’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ); and was seconded to the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) as Deputy Australian Liaison Officer.”
Senator Wong also thanked Dowling for his service in the role since taking up the position in 2023.
