Frances Adamson

Diplomatic career[edit]

Adamson joined the Australian Public Service in 1985.^[3] She was an economist at the Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong from 1987 to 1991, before moving to London where she worked at the Australian High Commission to the United Kingdom as a political counsellor for five years.^[3] She returned to Australia to work for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra from 1998 until 2000, and then moved to Taipei where she was Representative to the Australian Commerce and Industry Office for five years.^[3] She returned to London as Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2005 until 2008.^[4]


While in London, Adamson met Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, who asked her to become his Chief of Staff.^[5] She took the role on condition that she could manage her young family, and that as a "career diplomat" she would not get involved in politics.^[3] When Smith moved to the Defence portfolio, she went with him.^[3]


Between 2011 and 2015, Adamson held the post of Australian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, the first woman in the position.^[6][7][8][9] During her time there, the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement was negotiated and she has been credited with pushing the idea of partnership with the newly appointed Xi Jinping, allowing the "political and diplomatic relationships" between the two countries to "finally" catch up with the economic one.^[3]


In 2015, Adamson was appointed a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.^[10][11]


On 20 July 2016, she was appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT); the first female Secretary to be appointed to the portfolio.^{[12][13][14][15]}