Mark R Watson
Founder and Principal Consultant
With over thirty years’ experience in law, international relations and national security, Mark is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Sydney Avenue Consultants.
Following a period in legal practice with Moray & Agnew in Sydney, Mark’s career as a diplomat included postings in Port Moresby, Hong Kong, Singapore, London and, most recently, as Minister-Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC.
In that role, Mark was responsible for developing a range of key partnerships with US national security agencies, and worked with US companies looking for opportunities to grow their businesses with the Australian national security and defence communities.
As a member of the Senior Executive Service, Mark led cross-agency innovation, business process restructuring and change management programs, as well as providing ‘hands on’ leadership in high risk, high tempo environments. His effectiveness as a risk manager, negotiator and thought leader have been recognized by awards from both the US and Australian governments. His areas of expertise include:
- Operational leadership
- Stakeholder mapping and engagement
- Public-private partnerships within the national security community
- Leadership training
- Strategic planning and business process realignment
- Preparation of briefs and appearances before Parliamentary Committees
- Change management
A trained Chinese linguist, Mark holds degrees in law and strategic studies, as well as a Masters degree in Public Policy. Mark also completed post-graduate studies in the Economic and Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China at the University of Hong Kong, and is a graduate of the Senior Executives Leadership program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
Mark is a regular international affairs and national security contributor on the nationally syndicated Sky News current affairs program Afternoon Agenda, and a national security contributor at the Australian newspaper.
Sydney Avenue Consultants 