The Hon Wayne Swan MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer
Wayne Swan was sworn in as Treasurer on 3 December 2007 and elected unopposed as Deputy Prime Minister on 24 June 2010.
He has delivered five budgets, the most for a Labor Treasurer after Paul Keating and Ben Chifley.
Mr Swan has been the Member for the Brisbane suburban electorate of Lilley between 1993 and 1996 and from 1998 until the present, and has held senior economic roles in the Labor Party since 1998.
His focus as Treasurer is on strong and secure economic growth, job creation, and getting a fairer go for low and middle income earners in the tax and retirement income systems.
Mr Swan is committed to investing the dividends of the mining boom where they can make the greatest contribution to jobs, infrastructure, national savings and sustainable economic growth.
He helped formulate Australia's successful response to the global financial crisis, which kept workers in jobs and the economy out of a long and damaging recession.
Mr Swan was named Finance Minister of the Year in 2011 by Euromoney Magazine, which noted "his careful stewardship of Australia's finance and economic performance both during and since the global financial crisis" and that "Australia's position within the global financial community has never been stronger than it is today."
During his time as Treasurer, Australia has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs, delivered a historic boost to the aged pension, introduced Australia's first paid parental leave scheme, increased the child care rebate to 50 per cent, started the Education Tax Refund to assist families with their children's school expenses, and put in place a plan to increase the superannuation savings of the nation's 8.4 million workers.
Mr Swan is the author of Postcode: The Splintering of a Nation, a well-received book on the economics of disadvantage, and has lectured in public policy at the Queensland Institute of Technology (now QUT).
As a prostate cancer survivor, he is a vocal and tireless advocate for the early detection of the disease.
Mr Swan was born 30 June 1954 in Nambour and grew up on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, where he now holidays each year with his wife, two adult daughters and teenage son.
Dr Martin Parkinson PSM, Secretary to the Treasury
Dr Martin Parkinson was appointed as Secretary to the Treasury in March 2011. As Secretary, he is a member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Australian Office of Financial Management and a member of the Council of Financial Regulators, the Board of Taxation and Infrastructure Australia.
Dr Parkinson was the Secretary of the Department of Climate Change from its establishment in December 2007, and headed up the Climate Change Group in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet earlier in 2007.
Between 2001 and 2006, Dr Parkinson was Deputy Secretary in Treasury with responsibility for domestic and international macroeconomic issues, including serving as co-chair of the G-20 Deputies process in 2006. He has previously worked at the International Monetary Fund on the reform of international financial architecture, as a Senior Adviser to Treasurer Dawkins in the early 1990s, and on a range of issues within the Treasury including taxation policy, labour market and structural reform, and macroeconomic policy and forecasting.
He holds a Ph.D from Princeton University, a M.Ec from the Australian National University and a B.Ec (Hons) from the University of Adelaide.
Dr Philip Lowe, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia
Philip Lowe is the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, a position he has held since February 2012. He is also Deputy Chairman of the Reserve Bank Board, and is Chairman of the Reserve Bank's Risk Management Committee.
Prior to his current role, Dr Lowe has held the positions of Assistant Governor (Economic) and Assistant Governor (Financial System). He also spent two years with the Bank for International Settlements working on financial stability issues.
Dr Lowe holds a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.Comm (Honours) in Economics/Econometrics from the University of New South Wales. He has authored numerous papers, including on the linkages between monetary policy and financial stability.
Mr Eddie Yue, Deputy Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Eddie Yue is currently the Deputy Chief Executive of Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
Mr Yue is responsible for monetary management, reserves management and financial infrastructure.
Mr Yue began his career as an Administrative Officer in the Hong Kong Government in 1986. He joined the HKMA in 1993 as a Senior Manager, and was subsequently promoted to Division Head in 1994. He has worked in a number of divisions, including Monetary Management, External Relations, and Banking Development, and has served as Administrative Assistant to the Chief Executive of the HKMA.
Mr Yue was appointed Executive Director in 2001 and to his present position in September 2007. Mr Yue is educated in the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Harvard Business School.
Mr David Olsson, Chairman of AustCham Beijing, and Partner at King & Wood Mallesons
David Olsson's practice focuses is international finance, cross-border acquisition finance and China market entry issues for foreign financial institutions.
He has 30 years' experience in all aspects of the international financial markets, having practiced in Australia, London, Hong Kong, Middle East and China.
Based in Beijing, Mr Olsson represents Australian and international clients in relation to China market entry issues, the development and distribution of financial products in the Chinese domestic market, debt securities issues and financial regulation and compliance. He also has extensive experience in representing Chinese clients in the financing of offshore investments, particularly into the mining, energy and natural resources sectors.
Mr Olsson brings significant commercial experience to his practice. Chambers Asia 2010 says "the firm has also made substantial strides into China under David Olsson's leadership”. Its 2012 edition nominates him as a leading banking and finance lawyer in China, and he has consistently been nominated as a leading lawyer in the fields of banking and finance and debt capital markets.
He has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of China-Australia Chamber of Commerce (AustCham, Beijing) since 2010 and is the founder of its Financial Services Working Group.
Mr Olsson writes and speaks regularly about all aspects of the Chinese financial markets.
Mr Sun Guofeng, Deputy Director-General, Monetary Policy Department, People's Bank of China
Mr Sun is currently the Deputy Director-General of Monetary Policy Department, People's Bank of China, a position he has held since 2010. In this role, he is mainly responsible for the inter-bank bond market, development of China's currency market, PBC's open market operations and the RMB exchange rate mechanism.
Mr Sun is also currently the Adjunct Professor of the University of International Business and Economics, China, and a Special Member of China Finance 40 Forum, an independent think-tank comprising 40 of China's financial professionals, senior government officials and scholars.
Mr Sun has extensive knowledge and experience in monet
ary policy, exchange rate policy, bond and currency markets, and international financial markets. He has published two books and 60 journals.
Mr Michael Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited
Michael Smith has been Chief Executive Officer of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) since October 2007.
Until June 2007, Mr Smith was President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited; Chairman, Hang Seng Bank Limited; Global Head of Commercial Banking for the HSBC Group and Chairman, HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad. Previously, Mr Smith was Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Argentina Holdings SA and was subsequently appointed Chairman of HSBC in Argentina in 2000.
Mr Smith joined the HSBC Group in 1978 and during his 29-year career he held a wide variety of posts in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Middle East and South America, including appointments in Commercial, Institutional and Investment Banking, Planning and Strategy, Operations and General Management.
Mr Smith graduated with honours in Economic Sciences in 1978 from City University of London.
He is Chairman of the Australian Bankers' Association and a Member of both the Business Council of Australia and the Asia Business Council.
Mr Smith is a Director of the Institute of International Finance; a Member of the Board of the International Monetary Conference; a Director of Financial Literacy Australia Limited and a Member of the Financial Literacy Advisory Board. He is a Member of both the Chongqing Mayor's International Economic Advisory Council and the Shanghai Mayor's International Financial Advisory Council; and a Fellow of The Hong Kong Management Association. He is also a Director of the Financial Markets Foundation for Children.
Mr Smith was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 and a Chevalier de l'Ordre du Merite Agricole in 2007.
He is married with three children. His interests include wine, tennis and classic cars.
Mr Andrew Forrest, Chairman, Fortescue Metals Group
Mr Forrest founded Fortescue Metals Group in April 2003 and personally drove the creation of the expansive Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project. Now, Fortescue is the fourth largest iron ore supplier in the world and in Australia's top 20 ASX-listed companies.
Mr Forrest is Chairman of Fortescue Metals Group and the Minderoo Foundation among other significant charities and companies. Recognized widely as family orientated and a strong community and arts supporter, some 90% of his time is now invested locally and internationally in ventures to protect and support the under privileged and communities.
Mr Forrest has long been driving Australia's cooperation with China, a country he believes is the driving force of the global economy. Highlighting his commitment to China, Fortescue is one of the largest sponsors of Boao Forum of Asia.
There is no doubt that Mr Forrest is also a leading public and political figure in Australia and an international philanthropist. He has donated over $200 million of his personal wealth to the Minderoo Foundation. Further, in 2008 Mr Forrest donated around RMB 3 million to the Chinese earthquake relief effort.
Industry and philanthropic leader Andrew Forrest grew up on a remote Australian cattle station before graduating from university and building a career in investment banking, mining and farming. In his professional life he has created some of the largest raw material exporters and infrastructure companies in the world.
Mr Forrest has been awarded the Australian Centenary Medal, the Australia Sports Medal, Australian Social Entrepreneur of the Year, West Australia Citizen of the Year, and The International Mining Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award, yet he maintains that the toughest and most rewarding job he's done is raising kids.
Mr Chi-wah Chung, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Bank of China (Australia)
C W Chung currently serves as Acting CEO of Bank of China (Australia) Ltd, Bank of China's wholly owned Australian incorporated retail banking subsidiary. Mr Chung has more than 30 years' international commercial banking experience in both Hong Kong and Australia where for the previous two decades he served in Bank of China's Australian operations in senior executive positions covering treasury, corporate banking, trade finance, retail network supervision and risk management.
Mr Chung previously headed up the Treasury function for Bank of China's Australian operations and, combined with his prior experience as Head of Treasury at Bank of East Asia Ltd Hong Kong, brings with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise related to RMB-denominated trade settlements and RMB Treasury products.
Mr Ruixiang Han, General Manager, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Sydney branch
Mr. Ruixiang Han was appointed General Manager of ICBC Sydney Branch in August 2008.
He joined ICBC group in 1992 and has 20 years of experience in the banking industry. Previously, Mr. Han worked in ICBC Head Office as Deputy General Manager of the International Business Department from June 2001 to October 2005 and served as managing director and CEO of Industrial and Commercial International Capital since April 2005.
Mr. Han received an MA degree from Shanghai International Studies University in 1988, and received an IMBA degree with distinction (in international banking and finance) from University of Hong Kong in 2003.
Mr Gordon Sparrow, Executive Director, Head of Trade Sales, Global Transactional Services, Westpac Institutional Bank
As Head of Trade Sales, Global Transactional Services Gordon is responsible for expanding the Institutional Bank's global Trade and Supply Chain Finance franchise.
With more than 25 years financial services experience, he has held senior roles spanning Risk, Operations, Relationship Management, Strategy and Sales and prior to joining Westpac in 2005, was the deputy CEO of a listed financial services group, with specific accountability for banking.
Combining extensive experience, strong leadership and strategic focus, Gordon's focus is on developing and deploying a highly skilled team of trade finance professionals that support the bank's valuable clients' trade business outcomes.
Dr Eli Remolona, BIS Chief Representative for Asia and the Pacific
Eli Remolona is Chief Representative for Asia and the Pacific of the BIS. He also serves as the Secretary of the Asian Consultative Council, which consists of the governors of the 12 leading central banks in the region. He is also Associate Editor of the International Journal of Central Banking.
Until 2008, he was Head of Economics for Asia and the Pacific of the BIS. Eli joined the BIS in 1999 and for six years served as Head of Financial Markets in Basel and Editor of the BIS Quarterly Review. Before that, he was Research Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he worked for 14 years.
Dr Remolona has a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.
Mr Gao Yingxin, Executive Director and Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong)
Mr. Gao Yingxin is Executive Director and Deputy Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited and he is in charge of Corporate Banking and Financial Institutions. He is also Vice Chairman of Nanyang Commercial Bank (China) Limited and director of Nanyang Commercial Bank Limited and BOC Insurance.
Before joining BOCHK, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of BOC International Holdings Limited in Hong Kong. Mr. Gao joined the BOC Group in 1986 where he b
egan working on financing projects for various industries at BOC's Head Office in Beijing. In 1999, he became General Manager of Corporate Banking at BOC Head Office where he was responsible for managing and building BOC Group's customer relationships with and global financing for multinational corporations and premium domestic clients in the mainland of China.
From 1995 to 1996, he worked for the Finance Department of Northern Telecom (Nortel) Head Office in Canada.
Mr. Gao graduated from the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai with a master's degree in engineering in 1986.
Mr James Wall, Head of Financial Institutions Group, Institutional Banking & Markets, Commonwealth Bank
James Wall is Head of the Financial Institutions Group, one of CBA's Specialist Industry Teams within the Institutional Bank.
The Financial Institutions Group has a global coverage, and is responsible for the management of the Bank's larger customers within the industries of Funds Management, Insurance, Banking, ADI's and Lending Aggregators.
Mr Wall's team is responsible for the strategy, relationship management and origination activity across the full scope of products available at CBA, spanning Global Markets; Debt and Equity Capital Markets; Transactional Banking and Payments; Structured Finance; and Loan Markets
Mr Wall joined CBA from Bank of America in London where he held the position of Head of FI Originations, EMEA. Prior to that James held the position of Head of Capital Markets Asia.
Ms Anita Fung, Group General Manager, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
Anita Fung is Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong for The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. She is also Chairman and Director of HSBC Global Asset Management (Hong Kong), Director of HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited, Non-Executive Director of Bank of Communications Company Limited and Non-Executive Director of Hang Seng Bank Limited.
Ms Fung holds a number of positions on key financial institutions in Hong Kong at Banking Advisory Committee and Financial Infrastructure Sub-Committee of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee of Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Treasury Markets Association. Through her various roles in industry bodies, she has helped guide the evolution of much of Hong Kong's financial landscape as well as other regional markets.
Ms Fung is a Board Member of the Hong Kong Airport Authority, a Non-official Member of the Hong Kong Housing Authority and a Council Member of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Mr Patrick Wu, Executive Director, Head of CNY Trading, Global Emerging Markets, Shanghai, J.P. Morgan
Patrick Wu is currently the Head of CNY Trading of JP Morgan Chase Bank, based in Shanghai.
Mr Wu used to manage the offshore CNH FX and bond businesses for the bank and he was relocated to China in July 2012.
Mr Wu joined J.P. Morgan in May 2011 from the Standard Chartered Bank where he was the Head of Bond Trading in the NEA region. He started trading local currency bonds including CNY, HKD, CNH and TWD in 2005.
Mr Wu is a pioneer in the offshore RMB market and was also a member of the offshore RMB working group organized by the HKMA and TMA. He is also sitting in the working committee of onshore China NAFMII CRM group
Mr Drew Bradford, Executive General Manager, Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities, NAB
Drew Bradford is responsible for leading the FICC business which encompasses NAB's Rates and Credit trading, Foreign Exchange, Commodities, Equities, Financial Institution Sales and Markets Research businesses.
Mr Bradford joined NAB in July 2011 from Deutsche Bank in London where he was Global Head of their Listed Derivatives business. In his 12 years at Deutsche Bank, Mr Bradford had various management responsibilities across Europe, Japan and globally in their Global Finance and Foreign Exchange, Equities, Commodities and Institutional Sales businesses.
Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr Bradford was Head of Financial Markets at Bankers Trust New Zealand. Mr Bradford began his career as a Graduate at Bankers Trust in Sydney in 1987 and was predominantly involved in the Currency and Interest Rate Derivative trading business.