Dr Jonathan Austin took up the position of Ambassador to Indonesia in May 2019 and presented his credentials in August 2019 following three years in Singapore as New Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore and Ambassador to Maldives.
Prior to moving to Singapore Dr Austin was Director, Intelligence and Assessment (and head of the National Assessments Bureau) in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in Wellington. His previous career was in the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, most recently as Director-General of the Middle East and Africa Division.
From 2010 to 2012 he was New Zealand High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga. This followed secondments as Senior Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and two years in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands where he was Deputy Special Coordinator and New Zealand’s senior representative.
Earlier diplomatic postings have included South Africa, New Zealand’s first representative, and subsequently Consul-General, in East Timor and a posting in Tonga. In Wellington he has worked in development policy, on UN issues, Indonesia and Europe strategy.
Dr Austin has recently returned to Wellington. He was educated in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He is married with two teenage daughters

David first joined Beca in 1987 and was appointed Chair of the Group in 2017. He has played a key role in driving Beca’s long-term strategic direction, focus on professional excellence and the enhancement of leading edge technical capability.

Throughout his career at Beca, he has filled a wide range of technical, management and executive roles, including Chief Technical Officer, Asia Regional Director, Australia Managing Director, Group Director Health and Safety, and Managing Director of Corporate Operations. He also holds an extensive track record in leading and delivering major infrastructure projects including the America’s Cup Auckland Viaduct Basin redevelopment, Project Manukau, Melbourne Airport’s A380 runway widening project and the Victorian Desalination Plant.

Outside of Beca, he has held a number of governance positions, including Chair of the Hutt Valley Water Services Ltd Board, Chair of the Wood Beca Board, a member of The University of Auckland’s Civil and Environmental Advisory Board, a member of Leadership Development Corporation and past President of the Auckland University Engineers Association. He was also a founding board member of the Sustainable Business Council and sat on the Advisory Board of NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research). He is a trustee of The University of Auckland Foundation.

Passions outside of work include sailing and skiing. With three young children, his Saturdays are invariably spent umpiring cricket, watching ballet lessons and children’s birthday parties.