Mr Sam Gerovich is currently living in Tokyo and serves as a Director of a publicly-listed Japanese company, Red Planet Hotels (3350 – JP). He previously served in the Advance Asia Advisory Committee, stepping down as a member at the end of 2021.
Prior to this, he had a long and distinguished career as an Australian diplomat (1972-2015), with a focus on North East Asian affairs. He served as Australia’s Ambassador for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC, 2013-2015), Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (South Korea, 2009-2013), Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea, 2009 -2013), Ambassador to Mongolia (2009-2013), as Australia’s unofficial Representative to Taiwan (1997-2001), as Australia’s Consul-General in Shanghai (2002-2006), and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Beijing (1992-1997).
Earlier in his career, he served in Tokyo (1985-1990), in Hong Kong (1973-1976) and had two further assignments in Beijing (as Counsellor from 1982-1985; and as Second Secretary from 1976-1979).
At the headquarters of the Ministry in Canberra, Mr Gerovich held various senior positions, including First Assistant Secretary, North Asia, First Assistant Secretary, Trade, Investment and Economic Diplomacy and First Assistant Secretary, Diplomatic Security and Information Management.
Mr Gerovich holds a B.A. (Honours) from the University of Sydney and a Diploma of Chinese Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is also a graduate of the United States Foreign Service Institute’s Japan Area Studies Program (Yokohama) and a Graduate Member of the Thailand Institute of Directors. Mr Gerovich speaks Chinese, Japanese and Russian.
Mr Gerovich was born on 15 November 1948 in Shanghai China. He is married to Celia (Xiaowei) and they have two adult children, Simon (an entrepreneur) and Lisa (an investment banker).
