Chief Executive Officer

Ryan Neelam will commence as the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Australia–India Relations (CAIR) in mid-January 2026, bringing to the role extensive experience in diplomacy, public policy and international research. Ryan joins CAIR from the Lowy Institute, where he has served as Director of the Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program, leading the flagship annual Lowy Institute Poll, the Global Diplomacy Index, and contributed widely to research on climate diplomacy and multilateral policy.

Prior to the Lowy Institute, Ryan served for 14 years as an Australian diplomat, including at Australia's Consulate-General in Hong Kong and at the Australian Mission to the United Nations in New York, where he helped negotiate the UN Sustainable Development Goals, worked on Australia’s term on the UN Security Council, and led on climate change. Over his diplomatic career, he managed key bilateral and multilateral relationships, developed policy, and represented Australia on global economic, climate, human rights, and peace and security issues.