His approach is very particular. When you talk to him, it is easy to guess that he has good interpersonal skills. He is so humble and welcoming. And he would not deny how much he appreciates social interaction and a sense of humour. According to him, he is a typical Australian, always busy with various activities.

Fortunately for Ian, Mauritius lends itself quite conveniently to his hobbies. Indeed he loves water sports. Although his busy routine is often a constraint for him, he tries to find the time to practise them. Regarding indoor hobbies, he loves music and is impressed with the part music plays in so many people’s lives here.

“I like doing pedalo. So I paddle in the costal areas. I had a little go at kite surfing last week. But, unluckily for me, I was not really successful at getting on the board! I also like to go cycling. The proof is that I have taken part three times in a row in the competition A nou pedale. And then you get to see the beautiful countryside of Mauritius. But the most important thing for me is to spend time with my family.”

Unlike other school leavers, Ian did not go to University straigt-away when he completed his secondary education. In fact, he went to work overseas as a teaching assistant. After one year of working experience, he joined the University of Monash, where he got a Bachelor of Arts, an LLB and a Masters degree in Foreign affairs and Trade. His thirst for success made him specialise more recently in foreign affairs.

Thereafter, Ian became barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1990. But it did not take him long before he started focusing on foreign affairs. In 1991, he was appointed Desk Officer, Sea Law and Ocean Policy. This appointment was the beginning of a brilliant career. “It all began when I took the year off to work after school. I found this whole world out there of different cultures. That fascinated me. And, when I started off at university, I was convinced that I wanted to carry on that discovery. More importantly, I knew how privileged I would feel to represent my country at the international level. So I wanted to work overseas with different communities, achieving results and dealing with challenges!”

Ian’s posting in Mauritius is not his first but his third major posting. The first one was in Islamabad, Pakistan. And the second was Phnom Penh. Ian has always enjoyed learning foreign languages despite the fact that sometimes he found it hard. So far, apart from English, he can speak Urdu and Bahasa (Indonesian) quite well. And, ever since he has been in Mauritius, he has been learning to master the French language quite well.

Ian was born on 27th October 1965 in Melbourne. He actually comes from a teaching family background as his father was a teacher. He got married in 1992 to Libby. They have three children: Sarah, Hamish and Kieren. So far, according to Ian, their lives have been very pleasant .

“A lot of my colleagues are very envious of me because I am in Mauritius. It has of course its costal perspective well-known through- out the world. And its complex and diversified society is really interesting. My family and I feel lucky to be in a country like Mauritius…”