Sinodinos was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, to Greek immigrant parents. His father was a member of the left-aligned Seaman's Union that, during Sinodinos' early years, was campaigning against the United States intervention in Vietnam. His mother recalled stories of the Greek Civil War of the 1940s where Communist insurgents would knock on the door of their family home at night. Sinodinos has said that this helped him form his early political views. Sinodinos graduated from the University of Newcastle in 1979 with a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours. He then entered the Australian Public Service as a graduate recruit, working within the Department of Finance, before working in the Department of the Treasury between 1980 and 1987 and again between 1989 and 1995. He was the Chief of Staff to then Prime MinisterJohn Howard from 1997 to 2006, after serving with him previously from 1987 to 1989 when he was Opposition Leader and rejoining him in 1995. As a close confidant of the Prime Minister, he was regarded as one of the most powerful people in the country.
Corporate career
Sinodinos left his position as the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff to become a director with the investment bank Goldman Sachs JBWere, and a regional general manager at the National Australia Bank; he reportedly declined an offer to become Australian Ambassador to the United States. In 2008, he was part of a panel that mediated public input into the Defence White Paper. In March 2009, he was appointed a managing director at the National Australia Bank. Sinodinos became a director of Australian Water Holdings Pty Ltd in 2008 and chairman in 2010. He resigned from these positions on becoming a senator.
Political career
Sinodinos was appointed to fill the vacant New South Wales Senate seat opened by the resignation of Helen Coonan on 13 October 2011. He served as honorary Finance Director and President for the NSW branch of the Liberal Party. Initially touted as a candidate for the lower house seat of Bradfield, Sinodinos was appointed to the Australian Senate representing New South Wales, replacing the resigned Liberal Senator Helen Coonan for the remainder of her term, which was due to expire on 30 June 2014. At the 2013 election he was elected to a further six-year term from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2020. Howard was present in Parliament when Sinodinos delivered his maiden speech. Sinodinos is a member of the board of - Australasia, a non-governmental organisation. During 2012 Sinodinos was a regular columnist, writing in The Australian. On 19 March 2014, Sinodinos stood aside from his role as Assistant Treasurer prior to giving evidence as a witness before New South Wales's Independent Commission Against Corruption. During the enquiry Sinodinos advised he was unaware of a $74,000 donation made to the Liberal Party by Australian Water Holdings, despite being Deputy Chairman on a $200,000 salary. At the time of the payment Sinodinos was also Treasurer of the Liberal Party. He formally resigned on 19 December 2014 as Assistant Treasurer and was succeeded as Assistant Treasurer by Josh Frydenberg. In January 2017, Sussan Ley temporarily stood aside as the Minister for Health and Aged Care and Minister for Sport and then subsequently resigned from the ministry. Sinodinos briefly acted in her portfolios until a subsequent rearrangement of the Turnbull ministry where Sinodinos was appointed as the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. In October 2017, Sinodinos took leave from parliament and the ministry to aid his recovery from an unnamed type of cancer. He "believes the prognosis is very positive and that the cancer is eminently treatable". This was later revealed to be was stage four lymphoma, in which Sinodinos required a bone marrow transplant. He was voluntarily removed from cabinet in the December 2017 rearrangement. On 24 August 2018, Sinodinos returned to Canberra and attended the Liberal Party meeting where Malcolm Turnbull was replaced by Scott Morrison as Leader. In TV coverage, he could be seen being greeted by Whip, Nola Marino, and various others after the meeting.
Ambassador to the United States
In May 2019, it was announced that Sinodinos would be appointed the next Australian Ambassador to the United States. He resigned as a member of the Senate on 11 November 2019. He replaced Joe Hockey as ambassador on 7 February 2020.
Honours
Sinodinos was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2008 for service to politics through the executive function of government, to the development of economic policy and reform, and to the Greek community.
