Alistair Maclean has an extensive background in public and private sector roles, with a focus on South-East Asia. He joined the Australian foreign service in 1988, with postings to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Washington DC and as Ambassador to Laos from 2004.  

Alistair worked extensively on trade and environment related policy and negotiations, in particular climate change and Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with the United States. He served as a senior advisor to the Prime Minister, responsible for energy, resources and environment issues in 2007.

Alistair was General Manager (External Affairs) with PanAust Ltd, then an ASX-listed copper and gold producer, with operations in Laos and an exploration and logistics presence across Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, from 2008 to 2013. Alistair was appointed inaugural CEO of the Victorian anti-corruption and police oversight commission, IBAC, in 2013. He subsequently was appointed as CEO of the federal tertiary education regulator, TEQSA, in 2020.