Bede Corry

Chief Executive and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Bede Corry is the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a role he has had since July 2024.

Bede served as Ambassador to the United States from 2022–2024 and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2020–2022.

Bede was formerly Deputy Chief Executive – Policy from 2015, and previously the Deputy Secretary Australia, Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa Group.

Prior to this, he was Deputy Secretary (Policy and Planning) in the Ministry of Defence and has had other postings to Thailand (as Ambassador), Washington and Canberra. He has also been director of the Chief Executive’s Office and worked as private secretary to Foreign Minister Don McKinnon.