Joel Backwell

Joel is currently Austrade’s Investment Adviser for Advanced Manufacturing, Services and Technology, having just returned to Melbourne from Malaysia. From early 2013 until August 2015 Joel was Australia’s Trade Commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei, where he and his team assisted Australian companies exporting to Malaysia and facilitated a range of high-level visits from Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers and business associations.

From 2010-2013 he worked as a Senior Policy Adviser in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet in the Resources and Infrastructure Branch (DPC). While at DPC Joel managed the Transport and Industry teams on a range of economic, transport and infrastructure projects and policies and was also part  of  the  team  that  developed  Victoria's  Asia-related  strategies  and initiatives.

Prior  to  working  at  DPC, Joel  was  a  solicitor  with  law firm  Herbert  Smith Freehills in the major projects and energy & resources groups, working across Asia and Australia on oil and gas joint ventures, Public Private Partnerships, utilities and major infrastructure projects. He also worked in Jakarta for the oil and gas company Santos and local law firm Soemadipradja & Taher.

Joel has a double Honours degree in Arts/Law from Monash University and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Economics from KOHE. He also has accreditations from the Leadership Institute of Victoria, Asialink and the Malaysian Institute of Management. Joel has spent a number of years working and  studying  in  Asia  and  South  America  and  speaks  Bahasa  Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia and Spanish.

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