Director

Mr Matt Anderson PSM commenced as Director of the Australian War Memorial in April 2020.

Mr Anderson joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as a graduate in 1995. He was most recently the Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2016-20). He is also a former Ambassador to Afghanistan (2015-16) and High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands (2011-13) as well as Samoa (2007-11). He has also had postings to South Africa, Papua New Guinea and served as the Chief Negotiator of the Peace Monitoring group on Bougainville (2001-02).

He has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Strategic Studies from Deakin University, and a Master’s Degree in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.

Mr Anderson was awarded the Public Service Medal for his role in leading the humanitarian and consular response to the 2009 Pacific tsunami. In 2014 he led the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s MH-17 Task Force following the downing of the aircraft over Ukraine. He was made a Fellow of Monash University in 2018 and is proud to be both the son of a National Serviceman and Patron of the National Servicemen’s Association.

He is also a Graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon (1988). He served with the Royal Australian Engineers as a Troop Commander, and also undertook instructional and staff appointments.

Mr Anderson is married to Lou, a currently serving DFAT Officer, and has three children.