Recently retired Trade Minister and former National Farmers Federation (NFF) boss, Andrew Robb, has joined investment bank Moelis and Company, where he will focus on deals with China.
It is Mr Robb's second appointment since leaving politics at the recent federal election, after he took up a role advising Geelong healthcare startup, CNSDose.
The role with Moelis, a New York-listed investment bank, will see Mr Robb mainly helping Chinese companies looking to enter the Australian market.
He will have the title of independent adviser.
Moelis also has an asset management business focused on wealthy Chinese wishing to obtain an Australian passport, through the Significant Investor Visa program.
Mr Robb was responsible for redesigning this program while in government to tilt the required $5 million in investment from passive bonds, towards higher risk venture capital and small company investments.
As a minister in the Abbott and Turnbull governments, he concluded long-stalled free-trade deals with China, Japan and South Korea.
He was also favourably disposed towards Chinese investment in Australia and has advocated Beijing playing a larger role in regional affairs.
Mr Robb was an early voice calling for Australia to join the Chinese-led, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
The son of a Victorian dairy farmer who studied economics and agricultural science, Mr Robb entered federal politics via executive roles with the Liberal Party, having previously being an economist and executive director of the NFF.
"Moelis provides me with an outstanding global platform to continue my passion of building business connections between Australia, China and other Asian countries," Mr Robb said.
He will assist the firm in its investment banking and asset management.