Former SA premier Steven Marshall appointed new president of American Australian Association, set to relocate to New York

Former SA premier Steven Marshall has revealed he will start a new job early next year – and make a huge move to do it.

Former South Australian premier Steven Marshall has been named the new head of a major organisation that works to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Australia.

Mr Marshall has been appointed president of the American Australian Association, and will relocate to New York to start in the role early next year.

He said he was proud to be the first president recruited from Australia to head the AAA.

“It’s an extremely important organisation, particularly during this time,” he said.

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity to continue what I love doing most, which is to promote South Australia and, more broadly Australia, to the largest consumer and capital market in the world.”

Former premier Steven Marshall. Picture: Dean Martin

It will be a return to the business world for Mr Marshall, who spent the first part of his career in the sector before he entered state parliament in 2010.

He served as premier from 2018-2022, before resigning from parliament earlier this year.

Mr Marshall will replace John Berry, who started as AAA president in 2016 after serving as US Ambassador to Australia from 2012 to 2016.

Association chair Craig Chapman thanked Mr Berry and said the board was thrilled to have appointed Mr Marshall.

“I know that Steven, with his extensive public and private sector experience in Australia and the United States and with the full support of the Association’s Board, is the right person to lead the Association to new and impactful heights in its support of American Australian relations,” he said.

“Mr Marshall led a strategic transformation of the (South Australia’s) economy, focusing on future industries such as advanced manufacturing, space, and defence.

“His leadership was instrumental in positioning South Australia as a global hub for innovation, attracting significant investments in the tech, defence, energy, and film sectors.”

The AAA was established by Sir Keith Murdoch in New York City in 1948, and is the leading privately-funded organisation supporting relations between the two countries.

It has hosted meetings for American and Australian ambassadors and consul generals, Australian prime ministers, US presidents and other senior leaders from both countries.

It also hosts events including the G’Day Arts Gala in Los Angeles, Anzac Day in New York, Australia House at SXSW in Texas, and the American Australian Defense Dialogue in Washington, D.C.

The AAA has an extensive scholarship program, providing funding for youth American and Australian leaders to undertake study, research, professional and artistic development.

To date, it has awarded more than $18m to upwards of 1100 scholars.