Merriden Varrall

As Director of the KPMG Australia Geopolitics Hub, Merriden is developing thought leadership that analyses how tax environments around the world are shaped by geopolitical trends and events.

Before joining KPMG, Merriden was Director of the East Asia Program at the Lowy Institute where her work concentrated on developing an understanding of East Asia 'from the inside out', and analysing the Australia-China bilateral relationship.

Prior to that she was Assistant Country Director and Senior Policy Advisor at UNDP China. She has spent almost 8 years living and working in China, including working for the United Nations (ILO and UNDP), lecturing in foreign policy at the China Foreign Affairs University, and conducting fieldwork for her doctoral research.

Merriden has also worked for the Australian Government Treasury in the macro-economic group, and the Department for Family and Community Services on early childhood and demographic policy.