David joined ADBI as Communications Specialist at the end of 2018, after nearly seven years at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat in Singapore where he served as senior media manager and deputy communications director. In this capacity, he led media strategy and outreach promoting trade and investment policy collaboration between APEC’s 21 member economies.
A key dimension of David’s role at APEC was media advisory for APEC’s Executive Director, policy committees, and seven successive host economies: the Russian Federation, Indonesia, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, Peru, Viet Nam and Papua New Guinea. He also oversaw media planning and outreach for annual APEC leaders’ summits and ministerial meetings.
David’s earlier professional experience in the region includes work as a senior writer and research manager for The Asian Banker, leading the opening of the Singapore-based industry intelligence firm’s Beijing office and China hub, as well as a Beijing-based business reporter, an investment conference producer in Hong Kong, China, and an English instructor for a language center in Medan, Indonesia that doubled as Australia’s honorary consulate for North Sumatra.
David has an MSc in geopolitics from the London School of Economics and Political Science; an MA in international relations and a Graduate Diploma in East Asian Studies from the Australian National University; and a BA in history and political science from James Madison University—all with honors. He also studied Chinese intensively to an advanced level at the Beijing Language and Culture University and Shanghai International Studies University.