about me
David Morris
David Morris is a distinguished international expert on risks and opportunities in the international business environment, cultural exchange and international partnerships. He has had a global career as an Australian and multilateral diplomat and senior adviser to governments, businesses, universities and the United Nations.
He is Vice Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Business Network for Asia Pacific, which advises the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and advocates for business leadership in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
David is a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, China's leading non-government think tank. He is also Senior Research Fellow at Beijing Foreign Studies University. He is widely published, as a respected media commentator and a prominent speaker at international conferences.
His international consultancy, David Morris Projects OÜ, harnesses a global network of specialists to advise organisations on future trends, opportunities, risks, international relationships and reputations. He is also a non-executive Director of AustChina Holdings Limited, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and is a member of a number of international advisory boards. Until recently, David was based in Beijing, representing the international organisation of Oceania, the Pacific Islands Forum, as Pacific Trade and Investment Commissioner, promoting the sustainable development of Pacific island countries.
David is Research Fellow, Institute of Global Studies, at Corvinus University of Budapest, where he is a member of an Erasmus + Jean Monnet Research Network studying European Union links with the Eurasian Economic Union and the Belt and Road Initiative. He has an MBA from one of Europe’s leading business schools, Henley Business School.
David is an international expert on globalization and interdependence with China, from a career fostering business and cultural cooperation, PhD and other research. He established and was the first Executive Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. David has advised on complex international investments, brand identity, government relations and marketing campaigns including for nations, and world-leading stakeholder engagement and leadership dialogue events.
He is also building cross-cultural exchange projects as Vice President, Eurasian Cultural Exchange Association.
David served as an Australian diplomat for a decade. He analysed security challenges from South East Asia to the Balkans and was a major contributor to highly-respected reform proposals for the United Nations and peacekeeping. He developed new soft power strategies to support Australian business and cultural promotion around the world.
David also worked for almost a decade as a senior political adviser. He led major policy reforms in governance, international trade promotion, environmental protection, healthcare, industry and regional development. He coordinated trade and investment missions between Australia and China, Japan, India, Malaysia and the US. He managed campaigns, built impactful media relations and innovated in social media and targeted promotions.