Malcolm Bligh Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull was Prime Minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018.
As Prime Minister he implemented a bold economic growth agenda, cutting both personal and company taxes and overseeing record job growth in Australia.
Together with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Mr. Turnbull played a leading role in reviving the Trans Pacific Partnership after the United States withdrew. Mr. Turnbull worked with Mr. Abe to ensure the creation of the TPP-11, a multi trillion dollar trade agreement which opened member nations to more markets than ever before.
His government also embarked on the largest peace time upgrade of Australia’s Naval Fleet, approving the build of 54 new ships for the Australian Navy and Border Forces.
Mr. Turnbull has a strong interest in energy issues and energy storage. He recognised the urgent need for large scale storage to make intermittent renewables reliable, headlined by commissioning the construction of the largest Pumped Hydro Scheme in the Southern Hemisphere – Snowy Hydro 2.0.
Prior to entering politics, at the age of 50, Mr. Turnbull enjoyed successful careers in business, law and journalism.
As a lawyer, Mr. Turnbull successfully defended former MI5 agent Peter Wright against the British Government, in the “Spycatcher” trial.
In business, he established an investment banking firm in 1987 and during that time specialized in the media and technology sectors. He worked with some of the leading media moguls of the time including Rupert Murdoch, Kerry Packer, Conrad Black and Bob Maxwell and at the same time established a number of new businesses of his own.
Mr. Turnbull co-founded the first big Australian Internet company, OzEmail Ltd, listing it on the NASDAQ in 1996 and selling it to Worldcom three years later.
He joined Goldman Sachs in 1997 becoming a partner of the firm the following year and headed their Australian business for four years until he retired to pursue a political career.
After a lengthy career he entered politics in 2004 and during that time served as Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Minister for Communications before becoming Prime Minister in 2015.
Mr. Turnbull studied at Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
