Damian Hickey joined the GAP team in September 2026 as a Senior Advisor and Project Lead to help deliver the GAP research project into ASEAN’s resilience in energy, food and health security, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation. He brings over 20 years of experience in public policy, government relations and strategic advisory across Asia and the Middle East.
Damian has been a trusted advisor to senior political leaders, worked closely with ministers and government agencies, and built deep networks across government, business and policy communities. As Regional Director for Southeast Asia at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Damian led multidisciplinary teams providing policy and strategic communications advice to the presidents of Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste, and the Prime Minister of Vietnam. He worked with national leaders, ministers and implementing agencies on economic development and investment attraction, digital trade and AI governance, energy security, and foreign policy.
As Deputy Chief of Staff and Head of Policy to the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Damian helped shape and manage major defence strategy, policy and procurement decisions through Cabinet, the National Security Committee and budget processes. His work included the Australian Government’s National Defence Statement, the 2023 Defence Strategic Review and Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
Damian has lived and worked in Asia and the Middle East as a diplomat and consultant for over a decade. In the Gulf, he worked with ministers, government agencies and state-owned enterprises on investment implementation, crisis management and strategic partnerships with Asia.
He has also held key roles in the Australian foreign service and ministerial offices focused on trade, foreign affairs and economic engagement with Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. He drove initiatives to deepen government engagement with business, helped devise and implement Australia’s economic diplomacy policy through embassies in Asia and the Middle East, and led Australia’s bilateral and ASEAN trade agenda at the Australian High Commission in Malaysia.
Having been in the room when major decisions are made, Damian understands how governments think, how issues are framed and how policy moves from political intent to implementation