Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC), Australia’s export credit agency, has appointed Brendan Berne as executive director of government and industry relations.

He joins EFIC from the department of foreign affairs and trade (DFAT), and most recently served as deputy permanent representative of the Australian delegation to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. While in that role, he also acted as the vice-chairman to the OECD export credit burean, a position elected by bureau members, as well as Australia’s representative to the Paris Club.

Before his appointment to Paris, Brendan was director of DFAT’s Trade Finance Section from 2003 to 2004 and was a director in DFAT’s Economic Analytical Unit from 2000 to 2003.

Before joining DFAT, he had worked in a variety of positions with the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Commenting on his appointment to EFIC, Angus Armour, EFIC’s managing director says: “His work in building and managing our important industry alliances and government partnerships will help raise awareness of EFIC’s services and enable us to reach out more effectively to Australian companies exporting and investing overseas.”

Berne officially took up his new role on July 7, 2008.