Professor Timothy Lynch

ROBERT JOSKE MANAGEMENT CLIENTS

Australia’s top academic thought leader

Timothy Lynch is one of the most widely read academic commentators in Australia. A regular columnist in the Australian newspaper, his work has attracted millions of readers. His ideas have shaped debates around controversial issues like the Voice referendum and Middle East policy. He has become a must-read author among the nation’s leaders and elites.

An award-winning and best-selling author, his latest book, In the Shadow of the Cold War, has been called ‘a cogent, graceful, provocative account’ of American foreign policy from George Bush Sr. to Donald Trump. His many books examine American power and prospects. Known as Australia’s foremost “Trump whisperer,” Tim offers clear, incisive analysis of Donald Trump’s disruptive impact on global politics and economics.

Tim brings a unique perspective shaped by years living in the United States. In 2022, he was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Wyoming (in the nation’s reddest state) deepening his understanding of America beyond the coastal narrative. His research and commentary challenge conventional wisdom, offering Australians a nuanced view of US political development – and a hopeful outlook for America’s future.

Tim is a regular speaker at the Australian Defence College, Canberra. He is the editor of the two-volume Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History. In 2016, he graduated from the Oxford Strategic Leadership Program. He is a board member of the Robert Menzies Institute.

As Professor of American Politics at the University of Melbourne – Australia’s top-ranked university – Tim is a celebrated teacher and academic leader. He has developed some of the university’s most popular courses and co-created the sold-out, decade-long, Great Books Masterclass, the most successful community education program in the institution’s history. His leadership has also driven significant growth in postgraduate education.

Tim wrote his PhD (and first book) on the Irish peace process. While based for three years in Dublin, he interviewed some of the central players in the Troubles. This experience was crucial in shaping his grasp of power and politics. He has worked with senior diplomats across his career.

A dynamic and provocative public speaker, Tim has addressed boardrooms, investor forums, tech companies, and professional associations across Australia and the U.S. He challenges orthodoxies – whether timid leadership or ideological excess – offering instead a lively, thoughtful conservatism. He has a keen emotional intelligence and sense of humour.

Tim will take a brief from clients in the lead up to their event and tailor his address to meet client themes and requirements. His popular keynotes and roundtable talks include:

10 reasons to doubt American decline
Trump 2.0: ten reasons not to be afraid
The Trump economy: what every Australian business needs to know
ESG investing: go woke, go broke?
US presidents as change managers
AUKUS and the (mostly) good future of Australian American mateship
Abraham Lincoln as a CEO
Why Americans fight culture wars and Australians don’t
China is a threat not because it is strong, but because it is weak
How Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot helps us understand Trump’s America

Twice a Fulbright scholar, Tim holds a PhD in political science from Boston College, USA. Born in Warwickshire and raised in Leicestershire, he is a citizen of Australia and Great Britain. Tim is a lifelong supporter of Leicester City FC and a cricket enthusiast. He lives with his Texan wife in rural Victoria – and only drives Alfa Romeos.

Endorsements

‘There’s no better academic commentator in Australia today than Timothy Lynch. His ideas shape debate around issues that matter. He brings a realism and deep expertise to his public outreach.’

The Hon. Tony Abbott, former Prime Minister of Australia

‘Tim is a thoughtful and powerful writer who is prepared to stand out from the crowd. Often a sceptic of the status quo, he challenges and provokes the reader and the listener to broaden their horizons and consider new arguments. You don’t need to agree with everything he says to appreciate his insights into some of the biggest and more complex issues we face.’

The Hon. Josh Frydenberg, former Treasurer of Australia

‘I have worked with Tim Lynch for a number of years. He brilliantly bridges the gap between academia and the political and business worlds. An incisive orator and teacher. He gets it – many don’t.’

Leigh Clifford, former Qantas CEO

‘Tim brings a fresh conservative perspective to global issues, providing a helpful alternative perspective to prevailing orthodoxies on many topics. He is a very good teacher and an engaging speaker.’

Larry Kamener, Senior Adviser, Boston Consulting Group

‘Tim Lynch is a stellar media commentator. He brings deep knowledge and learning into the conversation. He makes the complex and baffling, intelligible.’

Ali Moore AM, Journalist and Broadcaster

Books

In the Shadow of the Cold War: American Foreign Policy from George Bush Sr. to Donald Trump(New York: Cambridge, 2020).

‘This wide ranging and astute account . . grabs the reader from the opening sentence and never lets go.’ James Goldgier, American University

‘Readers will be intrigued and provoked by Lynch’s new book. He Insists that there have been more continuities than discontinuities in America’s post-Cold War foreign policy and more successes than failures.’ Melvyn P. Leffler, University of Virginia,

Turf War: the Clinton Administration and Northern Ireland (Ashgate, 2004; reissued by Routledge in 2019) draws on an extensive range of interviews with Clinton administration officials, especially members of the National Security Council staff.

After Bush: The Case for Continuity in American Foreign Policy (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008) Inthe months after its publication, After Bush became one of the top-ten ‘International Security’ titles on Amazon.com.

‘After Bush is a serious, carefully researched and documented analysis of American policy in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks . . . it demolishes a great many of the dozens of myths and misconceptions that have become the conventional wisdom about the Bush administration. . .’ Richard Perle, Fellow, American Enterprise Institute and Former Assistant Secretary of Defense

Oxford Encyclopaedia of American Military and Diplomatic History ‘Comprehensive, authoritative, and current entries from leading scholars give you the real story not always found on the Internet.’ Library Journal

US Foreign Policy and Democracy Promotion (co-edited with Nicolas Bouchet and Michael Cox). A comprehensive and critical assessment of the complex relationship between American foreign policy and the promotion of democracy around the world.

Videos and Media

1. Introduction to the US Constitution (10 Great Books)

2. ESG woke and broke? RIIA Australia Conference

3. Why Charlie Kirks assassination is a test of democracy - and of our decency, ABC Minefield

4. 10 Great Books 2023: 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

5. 10 reasons to doubt the US is in decline - a bite sized lecture

6. Interview with Timothy J Lynch for the National Conservative Institute of Australia

7. Tocqueville's Democracy in America, 10 Great Books introduction

Representative:

Robert Joske Management Pty Ltd

Tel: + 61 2 93281444

Mob: + 61 412 211 510

Email: robert@joskemanagement.com.au