President

Bede Payne is the CEO and Executive Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AustCham Shanghai). He leads a diverse, international team to strengthen Australia-China business, government and community relationships. Bede has spent the past five years living, studying, and working in China. He is driven by the need to help Australians better understand China and to encourage the development of lasting international people-to-people relationships. He believes that our global collective interests are served through sustainable Australia-China trade and investment. Bede draws on diverse professional and educational experiences in his approach to business, management, and Sino-Australian relations. He is an experienced leader who has worked across trade & investment, infrastructure, advocacy, and government sectors. He holds a Masters Degree in Arts (China Studies) from Liverpool University, UK and Bachelor Degrees in Commerce and Creative Arts from Wollongong University, Australia.