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| Mid 2023. New Beard |
I have been involved in Asia ever since, with major chunks of time elsewhere. Just before the first Nixon-Kennedy debate our father was posted to the United Nations in New York I was put in New Rochelle Primary School for a few years. I still remember that first debate. It was also the first time I’d seen television.
A year at school in Germany, where our father was in the Australian embassy in Bonn and, coincidentally had as his British colleague John le Carré. Despatched to Canberra Grammar for high school and then Australian National University, where I majored in economics, snooker, sex and alternate analgesics. Then over to the UK and Europe for three gap years after which I made my way home via an overland trip, in an ancient Ford Anglia, to New Delhi in ’74. On the way, I was offered a job in the Australian Foreign Affairs Department.
Since then, forty plus years, Asia has dominated. I was posted to China by the government in 1976 which prompted my first marriage and two daughters. And taught me to read, write and speak mandarin Chinese.
China-involved ever since. Representing Austrade in the 90s, met my wife, Jing, Australian, Beijing born. We have a son, and retired in Hong Kong, where I read, write, garden, try to improve my Cantonese. Occasionally involved in local estate management and some district politics.
I try to spend regular time in China, so I can catch up on the vibe, how the ordinary folk, the “masses” are doing.
Sum of all of that is I feel I have some knowledge of the region and China in particular and that’s what I try to inform my blog.
The résumé version:
Department of Foreign Affairs: Studied Chinese in Beijing and Hong Kong 1976-78
Australian Embassy Beijing, reporting political and economic developments, China’s opening to the world. Late 70s, early 80s
Office of National Assessments, Canberra: Editor of Intelligence Notes for the Prime Minister. Assessments of China and North East Asia, mid 80s
Stephen FitzGerald and Co, Canberra, Beijing: Partner in China consulting firm, with Australia’s first Ambassador to China, Stephen FitzGerald, mid-late 80s
Austrade: Senior Trade Commissioner Austrade Shanghai. 1989-90
Austrade: Executive General Manager Austrade, East Asia, 1990-96
Leigh Mardon, Sydney: Business Development Asia, 1997
Duty Free Shoppers: President Asia, Duty Free Shoppers, US-based multinational, 1998-99
WSI: Owner/Founder Wall Street Institute, Hong Kong and Japan, 2000-07. Sold in 2007.
Hong Kong: 2007 to date: Local management and politics. Investment management. Blogging. Boat building and woodwork. Cooking.
Peter Forsythe
Hong Kong
A year at school in Germany, where our father was in the Australian embassy in Bonn and, coincidentally had as his British colleague John le Carré. Despatched to Canberra Grammar for high school and then Australian National University, where I majored in economics, snooker, sex and alternate analgesics. Then over to the UK and Europe for three gap years after which I made my way home via an overland trip, in an ancient Ford Anglia, to New Delhi in ’74. On the way, I was offered a job in the Australian Foreign Affairs Department.
Since then, forty plus years, Asia has dominated. I was posted to China by the government in 1976 which prompted my first marriage and two daughters. And taught me to read, write and speak mandarin Chinese.
China-involved ever since. Representing Austrade in the 90s, met my wife, Jing, Australian, Beijing born. We have a son, and retired in Hong Kong, where I read, write, garden, try to improve my Cantonese. Occasionally involved in local estate management and some district politics.
I try to spend regular time in China, so I can catch up on the vibe, how the ordinary folk, the “masses” are doing.
Sum of all of that is I feel I have some knowledge of the region and China in particular and that’s what I try to inform my blog.
The résumé version:
Department of Foreign Affairs: Studied Chinese in Beijing and Hong Kong 1976-78
Australian Embassy Beijing, reporting political and economic developments, China’s opening to the world. Late 70s, early 80s
Office of National Assessments, Canberra: Editor of Intelligence Notes for the Prime Minister. Assessments of China and North East Asia, mid 80s
Stephen FitzGerald and Co, Canberra, Beijing: Partner in China consulting firm, with Australia’s first Ambassador to China, Stephen FitzGerald, mid-late 80s
Austrade: Senior Trade Commissioner Austrade Shanghai. 1989-90
Austrade: Executive General Manager Austrade, East Asia, 1990-96
Leigh Mardon, Sydney: Business Development Asia, 1997
Duty Free Shoppers: President Asia, Duty Free Shoppers, US-based multinational, 1998-99
WSI: Owner/Founder Wall Street Institute, Hong Kong and Japan, 2000-07. Sold in 2007.
Hong Kong: 2007 to date: Local management and politics. Investment management. Blogging. Boat building and woodwork. Cooking.
Peter Forsythe
Hong Kong
