The Hon. Simon Birmingham has been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Banking Association, commencing in August. He is a respected national leader with a long-standing record of public service and policy leadership.

 

Simon served as a Senator for South Australia from 2007 to 2025, holding a range of senior roles including Minister for Finance, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Minister for Education and Training and Leader of the Government in the Senate. He was also Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs prior to his retirement.

Over nearly two decades in Parliament, Simon was instrumental in shaping major policy reforms across economic, education, trade and environmental portfolios. As Finance Minister, he oversaw Australia’s COVID-19 recovery budgets and was a key figure in establishing the AUKUS security partnership. As Trade Minister, he led negotiations on several high-profile free trade agreements, including the world’s largest, covering 15 Asia-Pacific economies and managed complex global trade challenges.

 

Earlier in his career, he delivered landmark reforms including nationally consistent, needs-based school funding and sustainability measures under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan.