Director-General of National Intelligence
Andrew Shearer
The Director-General of National Intelligence is the head of the Office of National Intelligence and the principal adviser to the Prime Minister on intelligence matters, including on intelligence collection and assessment priorities, intelligence capabilities and the broader activities of the National Intelligence Community.
Mr Andrew Shearer has been Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence since December 2020. His numerous roles in government include Office of National Intelligence Deputy Director-General (2018-19), Cabinet Secretary (2019-20) and National Security Adviser to two Australian prime ministers.
Over the course of his thirty-year career, he has also held senior diplomatic positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and senior roles in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the office of the Minister for Defence, and the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet.
As Senior Adviser on Asia-Pacific Security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, and formerly Director of Studies at Sydney’s Lowy Institute, Mr Shearer’s analysis has been published widely in leading international press, journals and books.
He was awarded a UK Foreign Office Chevening Scholarship and holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge and honours degrees in law and arts from the University of Melbourne. He received the US Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service for his contribution to the Australia-US alliance.
Deputy Director-General – Intelligence
Nina Davidson
Ms Nina Davidson commenced as Deputy Director-General in 2021. She was previously Head of Office of the Productivity Commission. Prior to joining the Productivity Commission in 2015, Nina led the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Economic Division, providing advice on a range of economic issues.
Nina served as Deputy Director-General of the Office of National Assessments from 2010 to 2014. In this role Nina oversaw analysis and assessment of a broad range of international political, strategic and economic developments affecting Australia's national interests. She was also Assistant Director-General of the Office's International Economy Branch (2007-2010) overseeing analysis of international economic developments.
Nina has also worked in The Treasury, on issues ranging through Australia's international economic engagement, the domestic macroeconomic outlook and taxation policy, as well as on organisational strategy.
She worked as a development specialist in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) Machinery of Government Program while living in Honiara during 2005-06. She also served as Adviser to the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC (2001-2003). Nina has a first class honours degree in economics from the University of Tasmania.
Deputy Director-General – Digital and Technology
Dr Duncan Grove
Dr Duncan Grove joined the Office of National Intelligence as Deputy Director-General – Digital and Technology in May 2024. In a multifaceted role, Duncan oversees and delivers the transformation of ONI’s digital and data capability, while leading the drive to harness innovative technology solutions for the National Intelligence Community (NIC). He also represents ONI on a range of senior committees across Government, and supports important government and private-sector partnerships.
With more than two decades working in the Defence and wider national security community, he has extensive experience leading technology-focused research, capability development, service delivery and innovation teams.
Prior to joining ONI, Duncan was Chief Mission Data Officer at the Australian Signals Directorate. After starting his career as a research engineer at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation working on a variety of computer security and artificial intelligence projects, he joined DFAT where he held a number of senior positions leading ICT, Data and Innovation functions.
Duncan has a Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (First Class Honours) and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Adelaide, an MBA from UNSW, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.