Message from the Director-General
ASIS is led by the Director-General who is appointed by the Governor-General.
Nick Warner AO PSM
The Director-General is responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs for managing ASIS and must advise the Minister on key matters relating to ASIS. By law, the Director-General is the only member of the Service who can be identified publicly.
Mr Nick Warner was appointed as the Director-General of ASIS on August 17 2009. Before taking up this position, he was the Secretary of Defence from December 2006.
Mr Warner has held a number of senior positions in his 30-year distinguished career of public service. Prior to his role as Secretary of Defence, he was the Senior Advisor (International) to the Prime Minister (2005-2006). Mr Warner has previously held several senior management and policy positions within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Overseas, Mr Warner has served as the Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (2003-2004); High Commissioner, Papua New Guinea (1999-2003); Ambassador, Iran (1994-97); Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Permanent Mission to the Supreme National Council, Cambodia (1991-93); Head, Australian Liaison Office, Namibia (1989-90); and in the Australian Liaison Office, Salisbury, Rhodesia.
Mr Warner worked with the Office of National Assessments and the Joint Intelligence Organisation before joining DFAT in 1988.
Mr Warner was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2006 for outstanding public service as High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Special Coordinator for the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and leader of the Emergency Response Team which dealt with the kidnapping in Baghdad of Mr Douglas Wood.
Mr Warner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in History and Asian Studies and a Master of Arts degree in History from the Australian National University. He was born in Singapore, is married to Rosanne and has five children.
