Tom Parker

Tom Parker incorporates a life-long passion for China into his professional life, studying Chinese at the age of 12 and going on to complete a Bachelor Degree (Hons) in Chinese language and history.

In 2001 he was awarded the inaugural Australia-China Council Young Business Scholars in China scholarship to undertake a Graduate Diploma in International Business in Chinese at the University of International Business & Economics (UIBE) in Beijing.

Tom has worked in numerous organisations in China-focused program management roles such as The Asialink Centre, Austrade (Beijing), Red Gate Gallery (Beijing) and as writer and reporter for the ABC in both China and Australia. Recently as senior China Projects Coordinator at the City of Melbourne, Tom managed programs and facilitated business partnerships between organisations in sister cities Melbourne and Tianjin. A former Chinese language teacher, Tom is passionate about language acquisition and has been asked to speak to students and educators alike to encourage the teaching of Chinese in Australian schools. Last year, he addressed Victorian principals as part of the awareness raising seminars for school leaders held in each state and territory and managed by APAPDC. Tom now runs his own China focused business, Red Tape Consulting.