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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

25th February 2014

Chancellor of the Exchequer in Sydney for G20

Australia’s presidency of G20 this year means we’ll have lots of senior visitors. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney were in Sydney this weekend for the G20 Finance Ministers Meeting. It brought together ministers and central bankers responsible for 85% of the world’s economy.

HE Paul Madden with Chancellor George Osborne and Stephen Price, Corrs
HE Paul Madden with Chancellor George Osborne and Stephen Price, Corrs

Mr Osborne outlined Britain’s strong support for Australia’s G20 programme, which is focused on promoting jobs and growth. Their aims on tax and trade resonate with PM Cameron’s “3Ts” initiative during last year’s UK G8 Presidency.

Whilst he was here, the Chancellor took part in a well-attended Q & A session hosted by the Sydney Institute. He was asked many questions about the UK and global economy and a number of participants commented very positively on the UK’s strong growth figures. The event was hosted at the spectacular new offices of the law firm Corrs at 8 Chiffley Square which opened last year, designed by the world-renowned British architect Richard Rogers. Mr Osborne also appeared on Channel Seven’s popular Weekend Sunrise breakfast TV show and was profiled in The Australian newspaper.

Treasurer Joe Hockey is keen to use G20 to promote infrastructure investment internationally, in line with the Australian government’s own domestic plans. He hosted an infrastructure round-table for ministers to meet with Australian business leaders in the B20 grouping. Australia’s big road construction programme offers particularly valuable prospects for UK suppliers, and our UKTI team are currently running a High Value Opportunity campaign to help British businesses engage. Australian pension funds and other institutions are also major investors in UK infrastructure, particularly airports and water utilities.

Participants were impressed by Mr Hockey’s chairing of the meeting and the efficient way that the Australian government handled all the complex arrangements. People are going to become very familiar with Australia’s memorable G20 logo over the next year.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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britain chancellor economy G20 George Osborne Mark Carney