Philipp Ivanov

Chief Executive Officer
 

Philipp Ivanov is inaugural CEO of Asia Society Australia. He commenced in the new role in January 2015.

Philipp has an outstanding record of leadership, public service, and dedication to building connectivity between Australia and Asia. He joins the Asia Society from the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade where he was a Manager of the Australia-China Council (ACC) – a premier, long-standing and respected institution in the Australia-China relationship. In three years Mr Ivanov reinvigorated ACC’s profile as a prominent, bipartisan, cross-sectoral institution, which connects people, ideas and networks and provides opportunities for engagement between Australia and China. He also designed the Australia-China Achievement Awards program, and was also one of the two principal authors of the Australia in the Asian Century - China Country Strategy.

Prior to this, Mr Ivanov led the University of Sydney International Leaders Program - a training and knowledge exchange platform for established and emerging leaders from the Asia-Pacific region and advised the University of Sydney’s Vice-Chancellor on China issues.

Mr Ivanov spent over six years in China studying and working in educational and development roles in North-East and South-Eastern China. He was the recipient of the ‘Rose Award’ by the Shenyang Municipal Government in 2002 for his contribution to the development of Shenyang City education and training sector. He was awarded the Australian Government’s Endeavour Executive Fellowship in 2009, under which he undertook research on China’s leadership development policies at China’s National Academy of Education Administration. He is the Asia Literacy Ambassador at the Asia Education Foundation. Mr Ivanov is a fluent Chinese and Russian speaker. He received classical Chinese language, economy and history training at the Far Eastern National University in Russia. He also studied in Jilin and Liaoning Normal universities in China and holds a Master of Educational Leadership and Management from RMIT University in Australia.

Photography: Penn Zhang

Fiona Wallace-Smith

Executive Director, Programs & Operations
Company Secretary
 

Fiona Wallace-Smith has worked with the Asia Society in Australia since its launch in 1997. She was appointed to the role of Executive Director in October 2008. Prior to this she was Director of Programmes & Company Secretary.

In her role, since 1997, she has been one of the contributors to the establishment of the quality business and foreign policy programming Asia Society in Australia has become known for in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

In addition to the Company Secretarial role, she is also responsible for Asia Society Australia’s financial reporting.

Fiona holds a Bachelor of Business (Asia Pacific Studies) majoring in Accounting and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance. She is an Associate of the Governance Institute of Australia.