Mr Bill Tweddell

Chancellor

Positions

• Chair, JCU Council, since 2016 Chair
• Chancellor’s Committee
• Chair, Human Resources Committee
• Member, Finance Committee
• Member, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
• Member, Work, Health and Safety Committee
• Member, Awards and Ceremonies Committee
• Member, Estate Committee

Biography

Bill Tweddell was elected as Chancellor for a five-year term, beginning on 26 March 2016 and has since been re-elected for a further two-year term on 19 March 2020. He is the University’s fifth Chancellor and the first JCU alumnus to be elected to the role. In 2010, Mr Tweddell was recognised as one of JCU’s Outstanding Alumni.

Mr Tweddell enjoyed a distinguished career in Australia’s diplomatic service spanning four decades. He was a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Most recently, he served as Australia’s Ambassador to the Philippines from January 2012 to January 2016.

He previously served as:

• Head of the Americas and Africa Division of the Department in Canberra;
• Australian Ambassador to Vietnam;
• Deputy High Commissioner in the United Kingdom;
• Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macau;
• High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives;
• Deputy High Commissioner in India, with earlier postings to Greece and Bangladesh; and
• Chief of Staff to the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer.