AVPI Advisory Board

Dr. Huong Le Thu (or Le Thu Hương) is Chair of the Australia-Vietnam Policy Institute’s Advisory Board. She is also Deputy Director of the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group, and nonresident Fellow with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC. Previously, she held a senior position at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Defense and Strategy Program.

Dr. Le Thu has also worked at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, and the Institute of International Relations in Taiwan.

Dr. Le Thu is a renowned public intellectual and expert on Vietnam, Southeast Asia and broader geopolitics. Her academic publications have appeared in journals such as The Asian Security, The Asia-Pacific Review, and The Asian Policy, and her opinion pieces have appeared in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Financial Times, Washington Post, New York Times, Nikkei Asian Review, The Australian Financial Review, Straits Times, and Japan Times, among others.

Dr. Le Thu holds a PhD from the National Chengchi University in Taiwan. She speaks five languages and has published in four.

Ms Gillian Bird is Australia’s Ambassador-designate to Vietnam. She is a career public servant and diplomat. She served most recently as Australia’s Ambassador to France (2020 – 2024). She was Australia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2015 to 2019.  

From 2004 to 2014, Ms Bird served as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Between 2008 and 2013 she held the additional role of Australia’s first Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN).  

Before taking up her position as Deputy Secretary, Ms Bird served as First Assistant Secretary, International Division, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2002-2004). Prior to this appointment, she was Head, Foreign and Trade Policy White Paper Task Force (Advancing the National Interest) within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Her previous positions in the department include First Assistance Secretary, South and South-East Asia Division (1999-2002), First Assistant Secretary, International Organisations and Legal Division (1997-1999), Assistant Secretary, peace, Arms Control and Disarmament Branch (1994-1997) and Assistant Secretary, Executive Branch (1993-1994). She has also worked in the office of the Minister for Trade Negotiations.  

Ms Bird’s overseas assignments have included UN New York (1990-1993), Harare (1986-1987) and Paris OECD (1980 -1983). Ms Bird joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1980.  

Ms Bird was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2012 for outstanding public service in the field of International Relations. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by James Cook University in 2020 for exceptional contribution to international relations. 

As a member of the AVPI Advisory Board and Director on the Board of the Australia Vietnam Leadership Dialogue, Dr Jana Phan is a strong advocate for strengthening ties between Australia and Vietnam.

An agricultural scientist by training, Dr Phan leads stewardship and sustainability policy on behalf of CropLife Australia – a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for a strong and responsible plant science industry.

Layton Pike is Executive Director, International at RMIT University and Co-Founder of the AVPI.

As Executive Director, International at RMIT University, Layton leads on RMIT’s international effort, including University strategy and partnerships across the Asia Pacific. Layton was central to the founding of the Australia Vietnam Policy Institute in 2022.

A former diplomat, Layton served as Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy Vietnam from 2014 to 2017. He was also Chief of Staff to the Attorney-General from 2008 until 2011.

Leigh Howard has over two decades of experience representing Australian businesses in Asia, across corporate, government, startup, and for purpose sectors.

Leigh is currently the CEO of Asialink Business, Australia’s National Centre for Asia Capability. Asialink Business provides tailored research & advisory services, training programs, and events to help organisations seize the potential of Asian markets.

Prior to Asialink, Leigh served as Deputy Commissioner to Southeast Asia for the State Government of Victoria, where he led a network of Trade & Investment offices assisting exporters and investors to access opportunities across the region.

Louise is Aurecon’s Chief Operating Officer, responsible for driving all areas of the business to achieve the Group’s strategic goals and overseeing operational performance. In addition to this role, Louise also holds positions on Infrastructure Partnerships Australia’s National Advisory and Fiduciary Boards, Consult Australia’s Champions of Change Group, is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering and a member of the Chief Executive Women Group.

At the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in March 2024, Louise was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Australian Business Champion to Vietnam in support of the Government’s response to Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

In 2023 Louise was awarded the prestigious 2023 Sir John Holland Australian Civil Engineer of the Year.