Former foreign minister Julie Bishop to help grow Greensill’s Asia-Pacific footprint

Australia’s former foreign minister Julie Bishop has been appointed chairwoman of Greensill’s Asia-Pacific unit as the finance firm looks to grow its global footprint.

Ms Bishop will provide strategic advice through her consulting firm Julie Bishop & Partners to unlock opportunities in both developed and developing countries in the region.

She took up the role with the London-headquartered firm last month.

“Business, government and individuals can all benefit from greater efficiencies in the finance sector,” Ms Bishop said.

“Innovative solutions pioneered by Greensill offer great potential to transform relationships throughout the world’s complex supply chains.”

Greensill founder and chief executive Lex Greensill said the business would draw on Ms Bishop’s “unparalleled experience and expertise”, particularly her international credentials gleaned from five years as Australia’s foreign minister in the Abbott and Turnbull governments.

Greensill has extended more than $150 billion of financing to more than eight million customers and suppliers in more than 165 countries in the eight years since it launched.

Ms Bishop quit politics at last year’s May election.

As well as taking the reins as chairwoman of the Telethon Kids Institute she has since joined the board of one of the world’s most innovative medical organisations, the Human Vaccines Project, which has the aim of decoding the human immune system.