Mr. Woolcott was appointed Australia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and Ambassador for Disarmament in February 2010. Previously, he served as Australian Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues and Australian Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to the World Food Programme and the Food and Agricultural Organisation; as well as Consul-General and Representative to US Commander-in-Chief Pacific, Honolulu. Other overseas service includes postings in Jakarta, Manila, Buenos Aires and Kingston. He has also served as Chief of Staff to the Foreign Minister (2002-04) and Head of the South-East Asia Division.
Mr. Woolcott holds Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the Australian National University and a Master of Arts degree from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. He practised as a barrister in Sydney for a number of years before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1981.