Dr Simon Hearn is ACIAR’s Principal Adviser. He is responsible for a variety of strategic planning and budgeting activities, including identifying strategic directions and providing high-level oversight for ACIAR's research and development program. Dr Hearn also acts as a senior point of contact for ACIAR inter-departmental and government relations activities.
Dr Hearn has a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture and Economics from Reading University and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from London University. He has worked in agricultural and mining policy development and economic analysis both nationally and internationally. Dr Hearn has also occupied a number of senior research and senior executive positions and participated in a range of Government and industry delegations negotiating trade and commodity matters in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, including as Minister Agriculture in the Australian Mission to the European Union.