Daniel Popovski
Redfern
Summary
A decade of experience executing public policy and advocacy campaigns and spearheading strategic government relations initiatives by developing pragmatic, evidence-based policies, engaging community stakeholders, business leaders, media, government departments, regulatory agencies, members of the Senate and House of representatives.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager | Policy and Advocacy
Governance Institute of Australia
Sydney, NSW
08.2023 - Current
- Designed and rolled out governance institute’s policy and advocacy initiatives to foster greater institutional trust and confidence.
- Facilitated strategic partnerships and policy formulation in AI technology and cybersecurity, engaging with institute members, industry stakeholders, and the National AI Centre (NAIC).
- Investigated key Australian corporate governance issues, emphasizing the importance of financial market integrity and the role of corporate sustainability in fostering ethical practices.
- Engaged with federal ministers, departments, agencies, and regulators, such as Attorney General’s Department, Treasury, ACCC, ASIC, APRA, and Home Affairs, to drive strategic initiatives and policy development.
- Enhanced governance professionals' capabilities by delivering comprehensive research papers and guidance notes on best practices. Advanced understanding of risk and technology frameworks, including NIST CSF and ISO 27001. Provided regulatory explainers and best practice guides, significantly improving knowledge of frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK and COBIT.
- Designed and executed comprehensive member surveys, synthesizing findings to construct impactful narratives.
- Coordinated discussions and information exchange among internal policy committees, research communities, and external stakeholders to develop informed policy positions.
- Coordinated and streamlined submission processes for public policy inquiries, enhancing operational efficiency.
- Facilitated collaboration with ASIC, APRA, and ACCC to improve compliance enforcement strategies and elevate understanding of legal requirements.
- Engaged in debates and presented policy positions on key issues at national forums, conferences, roundtables, and symposiums to promote informed dialogue.
- Crafted and implemented internal guidelines to optimize decision-making efficiency and effectiveness.
- Performed detailed evaluations of project results, offering critical data for informed strategic planning.
- Developed and led corporate law reform alliance, driving cross-industry partnerships to promote the revival of Commonwealth Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee (CAMAC).
- Delivered comprehensive submissions for national inquiries, enhancing ASX corporate governance principles and APRA governance review. Advanced development of ASIC evolving capital markets review and Treasury’s positioning of Australia’s financial reporting system. Formulated effective ASX cash equities clearing and settlement issuer services pricing policy and strategies for accelerating cash equities settlement in Australia to T+1. Contributed to impactful Treasury and AUASB climate-related financial disclosures and sustainability reporting. Influenced outcomes in Productivity Commission data and digital technology review and public sector whistleblower reforms.
- Collaborated with industry leaders to create corporate sustainability committee focused on improving sustainability reporting and governance frameworks.
- Facilitated collaboration among industry leaders by forming an AI governance expert advisory panel focused on advancing ethical AI governance practices.
- Developed and hosted special edition vodcast centered on 10th Ethics Index, fostering deeper audience engagement and understanding.
- Designed and implemented comprehensive workplace AI policy, ensuring compliance and promoting best practices at governance institute.
Associate Director | Policy and Advocacy
Australian Food and Grocery Council
Canberra, ACT
09.2021 - 02.2023
- Designed a robust policy and advocacy strategy focused on promoting job creation and fostering investment in resilient supply chains.
- Analyzed government inquiries and formulated thorough submissions to ensure clarity and relevance for manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers.
- Crafted detailed industry resources to improve negotiation capabilities and support balanced bargaining power among businesses.
- Orchestrated initiatives for industry advisory committee and legal forum, enhancing strategic dialogue among stakeholders.
- Collaborated with educators to design and develop instructional materials that improve overall learning outcomes.
- Engaged with industry and government stakeholders to cultivate strategic relationships that enhance policy development and advance organizational objectives.
- Managed logistics and scheduling for speaking engagements and policy discussions, ensuring seamless execution at national conference.
- Coordinated efforts with ACCC treasury and independent arbiters to improve competition policy and optimize supply chain networks.
- Collaborated with treasury to design and implement policies guiding the evaluation of food and grocery code of conduct.
- Enabled effective communication and coordination between industry stakeholders and government agencies, focusing on crisis events like pandemic-related worker shortages and weather disasters.
- Reviewed and synthesized project outcomes to support informed strategic decisions.
- Orchestrated negotiations to improve relationships between producers, suppliers, and retailers, facilitating equitable profit sharing strategies in collaboration with treasury department leads.
- Developed and implemented strategies aimed at improving the integrity of independent arbitration and dispute resolution practices.
- Developed and implemented strategies for tax and market incentives to drive investment growth for manufacturers within treasury portfolio.
Senior Advisor | Economic Policy and advocacy
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Canberra, ACT
03.2019 - 09.2021
- Conducted in-depth research and analysis to develop strategic economic policy positions aimed at enhancing growth and productivity.
- Developed and presented policy briefs and advocacy strategies to chief economist and CEO to inform decision-making.
- Engaged with stakeholders to articulate and promote member industry perspectives in public forums, roundtables, and media channels.
- Fostered collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, including acting and shadow ministerial offices, senior bureaucrats, industry association CEOs, peak bodies, commissioners, and senators, to enhance policy dialogue.
- Developed and submitted detailed responses to government-led inquiries focused on taxation, financial services, and competition policy to influence policy outcomes.
- Guided and mentored junior staff and interns from Australian National University to enhance the quality of economic and policy research reports.
- Oversaw operations of economic and industry policy committee to enhance policy development and implementation.
- Engaged with global entities such as Standards Australia, OECD, and ICC to promote chamber network initiatives.
- Engaged with national regulatory advisory committees and enforcement agencies, such as ACCC and ATO, to facilitate clearer decision-making and enforcement strategies.
- Partnered with media and communications team to develop compelling speeches and strategic media statements for effective campaign execution.
- Assessed results of initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness and drive improvements.
- Formulated and executed policy and advocacy initiatives to respond effectively to financial services inquiry and Hayne Royal Commission findings.
- Contributed to the design and implementation of JobKeeper payments program aimed at supporting small businesses during COVID-19 crisis.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to enhance supply chain resilience in response to COVID-19 challenges.
- Formulated strategic policy framework addressing digital and technology issues, engaging with ACCC and ministers to implement media bargaining code.
Senior Policy Officer | Policy Research and Engagement
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Canberra, ACT
10.2017 - 03.2019
- Collaborated in drafting public-facing policy rationale, outlining departmental portfolio priorities, challenges, and opportunities.
- Facilitated coordination and synthesis of departmental feedback on flagship policy positions and new policy proposals.
- Facilitated preparation of briefing notes for ministerial review prior to parliamentary question time and debates.
- Facilitated comprehensive review of policy governance frameworks to enhance departmental policy design and development processes.
- Analyzed industry-relevant data, market publications, and media developments to deliver timely policy advice.
- Oversaw procurement project to guide policy and program development.
- Analyzed and evaluated project outcomes to inform strategic decision-making.
- Spearheaded design and development of national grants program, earning Australia Day Medallion recognition.
- Spearheaded development and hosting of Future of Work Forum in collaboration with EY, Universities Australia, and ACCI.
National Policy Advisor | Economic and industry policy
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Canberra, ACT
03.2016 - 10.2017
- Coordinated efforts with CEO, Chief Economist, and policy directors to advance and refine policy positions for Australian Chamber.
- Conducted thorough research and analysis to prepare strong policy recommendations addressing government inquiries and national legislative reform agendas.
- Collaborated with national associations and international bodies to address and resolve policy challenges affecting the industry.
- Coordinated urgent assignments with ongoing research efforts to achieve established deadlines.
- Fostered productive interactions with government representatives to support policy implementation and community engagement.
- Facilitated discussions and networking opportunities at national symposiums to enhance chamber visibility and influence.
- Documented and reported on outcomes to provide insights for future project planning.
- Analyzed and proposed improvements to horizontal fiscal equalization (HFE) of GST distributions, aligning with treasury portfolio objectives.
- Conducted comprehensive research and advocated for policy changes to optimize corporate tax rates for small and medium enterprises.
- Collaborated on initiatives designed to simplify regulations, enhancing support for small business operations.
Education
Juris Doctor -
University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW07.2025
Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Policy -
Australian National University
Canberra, ACT07.2022
Graduate Certificate in New Technologies Law -
Australian National University
Canberra, ACT07.2022
Bachelor of Economics (Honours) -
University of Technology Sydney
Sydney, NSW01.2015
Bachelor of Commerce - Economics
University of Wollongong
Wollongong, NSW11.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Politics With Distinction
University of Wollongong
Wollongong, NSW11.2014
Skills
- Executed strategic contingency plans to navigate crises in fast-paced environments
Directed and facilitated cross-functional teams to achieve organizational objectives through strategic communication initiatives
Formulated and implemented advocacy strategies and policy campaigns aligned with organizational mission and values
Articulated project statuses and policy positions to stakeholders, including senior leaders and board of directors
Conducted comprehensive economic and statistical analyses to establish a robust evidence base for policy reform recommendations
Demonstrates an impactful and refined communication style rooted in strong business acumen
Exhibited strong public speaking capabilities as organizational spokesperson in vodcasts, webinars, national conferences, roundtables, and media engagements
Cultivated and managed productive relationships within organizations and government entities
Cultivated a diverse writing style through extensive experience in drafting policy submissions, opinion pieces, journal articles, on-demand media, and speeches
Oversaw competing priorities, projects, and budgets to meet tight deadlines with limited resources
Demonstrated emotional intelligence while collaborating with diverse talents
Executed project delivery within stringent deadlines and budget constraints while ensuring high-quality standards
Executed strategic contingency plans to navigate crises in fast-paced environments
Affiliated roles
UNESCO | Lead National Delegate | AI Governance education and training
June 2025 – Current
Standards Australia | AI technical committee member ISO 42001
August 2019 – current
International Chamber of Commerce
Committee Member | Legal Competition Commission
October 2020 - October 2021
OECD | Business and Industry Advisory Committee Member
March 2019 – August 2022
Australian Taxation Office | Advisory Committee member | Single Touch Payroll
March 2019 – December 2020
Department of Industry, Science and Innovation
Advisory Committee member | Supply Chain Resilience Initiative | Payment Terms Reporting Platform
February 2020 – September 2021
Timeline
Senior Manager | Policy and Advocacy
Governance Institute of Australia
08.2023 - Current
Associate Director | Policy and Advocacy
Australian Food and Grocery Council
09.2021 - 02.2023
Senior Advisor | Economic Policy and advocacy
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
03.2019 - 09.2021
Senior Policy Officer | Policy Research and Engagement
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
10.2017 - 03.2019
National Policy Advisor | Economic and industry policy
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
03.2016 - 10.2017
Juris Doctor -
University of New South Wales
Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Policy -
Australian National University
Graduate Certificate in New Technologies Law -
Australian National University
Bachelor of Economics (Honours) -
University of Technology Sydney
Bachelor of Commerce - Economics
University of Wollongong
Bachelor of Arts - Politics With Distinction
University of Wollongong