Nick Warner

Nicholas Peter Warner, AO, PSM (born 22 May 1950) is a former Australian diplomat, intelligence official and public servant.

Nick Warner AO, PSM
Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
In office 17 August 2009 – 18 December 2017
Preceded by	David Irvine
Succeeded by	Paul Symon
Secretary of the Department of Defence
In office 4 December 2006 – 14 August 2009
Preceded by	Ric Smith
Succeeded by	Ian Watt
Personal details
Born	Nicholas Peter Warner (1950-05-22) 22 May 1950 (age 75) Singapore
Nationality	Australian
Parent	Denis Warner[1]
Alma mater	Australian National University (BA, MA)
Occupation	Public servant, diplomat

Warner was the Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) from December 2018 until December 2020.^[2][3][4] He also served as the director-general of the precursor agency to ONI, the Office of National Assessments, from December 2017 to December 2018.

Prior to that, Warner served as the director-general Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) from August 2009 to December 2017, and the secretary of the Australian Department of Defence from December 2006 to August 2009.^[5]

Education

Born in Singapore, 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 (ANU).

Career

Nick Warner greeting Solomon Islands women while serving as Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands

Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO):

• (1973–77) Worked in the JIO

Office of National Assessments (ONA):

• (1979–88), Deputy head, Current Intelligence Branch and National Assessments Officer for Africa
• (1980) Australian Liaison Office, Salisbury, Rhodesia

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT):

• (1988–89) Director, South Asia, Africa, Middle East Trade Section
• (1989–90) Head, Australian Liaison Office, Namibia during the Australian contribution to UNTAG
• (1990–91) Director, Central and Southern Africa Section
• (1991–93) Deputy head of mission, Australian Permanent Mission to the Supreme National Council, Cambodia
• (1994–97) Australian ambassador to Iran
• (1997–98) Assistant secretary, Parliamentary and Media Branch and Senior Spokesman
• (1997–98) Acting first assistant secretary, Public Affairs and Consular Division
• (1998–99) First assistant secretary, South and South East Asia Division
• (1999–2003) High commissioner, Papua New Guinea^[6]
• (2003) First assistant secretary, South Pacific, Africa and Middle East Division
• (2003–2004) Special coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)
• (2004–2005) Deputy secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Prime Minister's Office (PMO):

• (2005–2006) Senior adviser (International) to the prime minister

Australian Department of Defence:

• (4 December 2006 – August 2009) Secretary of Defence

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT):

• (17 August 2009 – 18 December 2017) Director-general, Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS)^[7]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C):

• (18 December 2017–20 December 2018) Director-general of the Office of National Assessments (ONA)
• (20 December 2018–) Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence (ONI)

Honours

Warner was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2006 for outstanding public service as High Commissioner to Port Moresby, 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.^[8] On 13 June 2011, he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public sector leadership through the development of policy, administration and reform in the areas of intelligence, defence and international relations.^[9]