Immediately before this role, Gönül was the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Global Victoria, the Government’s trade facilitation and promotion agency and responsible for leading the State’s global engagement efforts.

As part of this role, she ran the State’s international network of 23 trade and investment offices; and led a team that drove economic growth in Victoria by facilitating exports and promoting the State’s world-class industry capabilities and education sector to international audiences.

Over her twenty years working for the State of Victoria and fourteen years working in the international trade portfolio, as CEO, Deputy Secretary and Executive Director, Gönul led the development and execution of the largest trade missions to leave Australia into emerging markets and the largest inbound trade delegations to visit Victoria. These programs resulted in significant collaborations and have generated billions of dollars’ worth of additional exports to the economy and put Victoria’s world-class companies on the global stage.

She has a passion for international engagement and supporting platforms and initiatives that empower young leaders and women to actively engage in areas of trade, culture and sport.

In May 2024, Cricket Australia announced Gönül as one of their Multicultural Ambassadors, a program of leaders advocating for greater inclusion and diversity in the sport and actively encouraging more people to get involved and play cricket.

In October 2023, Gönül received an Order of the Star of Italy (Ordine della Stella d’Italia), an award conferred by the President of the Italian Republic and represents a particular honour on behalf of all those who have acquired a special merit in the promotion of friendly relations and cooperation between Italy and other countries.

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