David Yardley Email & Phone Number

Senior Career Diplomat - Senior Executive Service Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, AustraliaFormer High Commissioner of Australia to the Republic of KiribatiAssistant Secretary (Senior Executive Band 1) and Chief Negotiator, WTO Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce, Digital Trade and Multilateral Economic Cooperation BranchFormer Counsellor (Political), Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations_________________________________________________________________________David Yardley is Assistant Secretary, Digital Trade and Multilateral Economic Cooperation Branch in DFAT’s Free Trade Agreements and Stakeholder Engagement Division, and Chief Negotiator for the WTO Joint Statement Initiative on E-Commerce. Previously he was Australia’s High Commissioner to Kiribati (2021-2023). Prior to that, Mr Yardley served: as Counsellor (Political) at Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (2016-2020); in Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations (2015); in the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a secondee (2014-2015); and as Counsellor and A/g Deputy Ambassador at the Australian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan (2013-14). He earlier worked at the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, including as an Australian representative to peak meetings of the International Labour Organisation. He holds Bachelors Degrees in Science and Law from the University of Sydney, and a Master’s from the University of Cambridge, UK. Outside work David enjoys a second existence as an early musician – with three albums of his original compositions out in the world and a fourth on the way. Singing since he was 8, composing since 12 and playing the medieval harp since 2013 - in the UK David's sung with the choir of Jesus College Cambridge, the choir of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge and as a Lay Clerk with the choir of Southwark Cathedral. Outside hours, look for him in the nearest medieval castle or church with a bunch of music friends.