Penny Williams

Penny Williams is a trustee of The Asia Foundation. She brings deep expertise in international relations, development, and organizational strategy, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia and gender issues. 


Williams began her diplomatic career in 1988 and most recently served as Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia (2021–January 2025). Prior to this, she was deputy secretary in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where she led portfolios covering the Pacific, the Americas, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, later serving as chief operating officer (2018–2020). Previous appointments include Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Australia’s first Ambassador for Women and Girls, and postings in Santiago de Chile and Damascus. In 2015, she was awarded the Public Service Medal for her contributions to advancing gender equality through foreign policy.

Williams holds a Bachelor of Asian Studies and a Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development from the Australian National University. She is fluent in Indonesian and has completed executive education at Harvard Kennedy School, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.