Dave Sharma

Biography

Dave Sharma is an Australian politician, diplomat, and public servant. He was born on December 21, 1975, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His father is of Indian heritage from Trinidad, while his mother was from Sydney, Australia. In 1979, his family moved to Turramurra, Sydney, where he was raised.

Sharma excelled academically, graduating from Turramurra High School in 1993 with the highest possible Tertiary Entrance Rank of 100. He pursued higher education at the University of Cambridge, initially studying natural sciences before switching to law, earning first-class honors. He later studied medicine at Sydney Medical School but transitioned to a career in public service, completing a master’s degree in International Relations at Deakin University.

His career in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade began in 1999, leading to various diplomatic roles. From 2004 to 2006, he served as a legal adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer. He was then posted to the Australian Embassy in Washington from 2006 to 2009. In 2013, at the age of 37, Sharma was appointed as Australia’s Ambassador to Israel, making him one of the country’s youngest ambassadors and the second Australian ambassador of Indian heritage.

In 2019, Sharma entered politics, winning the seat of Wentworth in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Party. He served until 2022, when he lost the seat to independent candidate Allegra Spender. In November 2023, he was appointed as a Senator for New South Wales, succeeding Marise Payne.

Throughout his career, Sharma has been actively involved in foreign affairs, defense, and trade policy. He has served on various parliamentary committees and continues to contribute to Australia’s political landscape.