Acting Chief Executive Officer
Dr Richard Johnson was appointed acting Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council (ARC) in December 2023. He first joined the ARC in September 2022, taking up the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining the ARC, he was First Assistant Secretary, Social Cohesion and Multicultural Affairs, in the Department of Home Affairs. He has held a number of senior leadership roles in the Australian government, including representing Australia as Minister Counsellor (Home Affairs) at Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and international policy in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Richard has a PhD in the history of political philosophy.