Margaret Bowen

Margaret has extensive experience in senior roles across the Australian Government. Her work over many years has focused on Australia's economic and trade relations with Asia. She has long-standing connections with Japan.

Margaret joined Austrade in 2015 and has worked across investment, tourism and net zero priorities. She was a senior advisor to the Minister for Trade and Tourism. During the Covid pandemic, Margaret led the government's tourism recovery taskforce. She also let the government’s response to bushfire impacts on the business sector in 2020.

Prior to Austrade, Margaret worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as senior advisor on North Asia economic issues. In the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade she worked on Australia's economic and trade relationships with China, Japan and Korea. Margaret has had postings to Japan and Papua New Guinea, and has worked on consular task forces responding to global crises impacting Australians.

Margaret's qualifications include a Bachelor of Asian Studies (First Class Honours) from the Australian National University and a Master of Public Administration from Monash University. She holds Certificates in Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School and in Digital Leadership from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

Margaret first visited Japan as a high school student and has lived in Tokyo, Niigata, Saitama and now Osaka. She commenced her current role in October 2024.