Chief Research Scientist in CSIRO having joined the organisation in 1986 based in France. Based in Australia working on biosecurity and invasive species management.

Since 2006 has been a CSIRO Research leader of three different programs on plant, animal and environmental biosecurity and terrestrial biodiversity management. He was Research Director in the CSIRO Health & Biosecurity business unit from 2015-2021.

Current primary role is a secondment into the Commonwealth Department Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry as Co-Executive Director of DAFF-CSIRO Catalysing Australia’s Biosecurity Initiative after instigating this partnership across both agencies. This $50-$100M Mission is due to launch in mid-2023.

He serves on a number of boards/advisory committees for the Federal Government National Biosecurity Committee and the CSIRO Centre of Australian National Biodiversity Research.

Is the non-residential Director of CSIRO’s European Laboratory in Montpellier since 2002.

Also has a portfolio of research projects in weed and pest and invasive species management based on Australia, South Africa and France. He was elected to the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering in 2019 and International Fellow of the Académie d’Agriculture de France in 2020.