Dave is a former Member of Parliament, Ambassador and company director.

He is a strategic thinker and manager with a wealth of high-level experience in national security, trade, international relations, public policy, and technology and innovation. Dave is a law graduate of the University of Cambridge, has chaired and worked with a number of publicly-listed technology companies, and was chair of Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Treaties and the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee.

Prior to his election to Parliament, Dave was an Australian ambassador and diplomat, serving in Israel, Washington DC and Papua New Guinea. He was awarded an Australian Service Medal for his peacekeeping duties in Bougainville.

Dave studied at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with first-class honours in Law. He also has a Master of Arts from Cambridge and a Master of Arts (International Relations) from Deakin University.

Dave is frequently published in the Nikkei Asian Review, The Australian, the Sydney Morning Herald, and appears regularly in the Australian media, including on ABC and Sky News, providing commentary and analysis on global affairs.

He is married with three daughters.