Sarah Hooper, Consul General of Australia, defines power in the workplace

Ms. Sarah Hooper has lived and worked in Vietnam for more than three years since assuming her post as Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City in January 2022. She holds an Executive Master of Public Administration from the University of Western Australia and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from the Australian National University.

Throughout her career, Ms. Hooper has served in several key Australian Government institutions, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the International Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Office of National Assessments. As a representative of the Australian Government, she has held important postings in Indonesia and India, and earlier in her career, she worked with the Government of Brunei under an official exchange program. From 2009 to 2012, she headed the Political and Economic Section of the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, India.

With nearly two decades dedicated to diplomacy, Consul General Sarah Hooper is an experienced diplomat whose career embodies both strength and grace – a portrait of a woman who balances humility and authority, both in the political sphere and in everyday life.

Ảnh: Harper’s Bazaar Việt Nam

HARPER’S BAZAAR: As a diplomat and also as a woman in an industry that is often ruled by men, how would you define power in the context of your working environment?

SARAH HOOPER: In diplomacy, influence is power. So as the Australian Consul General here in Ho Chi Minh City, I seek to influence others to support Australia’s national interest. It’s pretty straightforward, I think. Australia sees its security, prosperity, and economic future intrinsically linked with Southeast Asia and with Vietnam. So in Ho Chi Minh City, which is Vietnam’s economic powerhouse, my job is to make sure that there are Australian partnerships and there is room for an Australian voice on issues of importance for Vietnam and for Ho Chi Minh City.

For me, I’m hoping that young Vietnamese and their parents will think of Australia as a great partner and a place of choice for education and for travel. And I’m hoping that people see the opportunities out of partnering with Australian businesses and working with Australian people.

“Better things will come when there is
DIVERSITY and EQUITY“

HARPER’S BAZAAR: As a woman in the field of diplomacy, what challenges did you face, if any, and how did you navigate those challenges?

SARAH HOOPER: I don’t think that as a woman, I face different challenges to my male colleagues. I think we can look at examples like Australia introducing the panel pledge to make sure that we saw diversity in presentations and in public speaking. and make sure that audiences hear women’s voices as much as they hear men’s voices. I don’t see gender as a women’s issue, it’s an equity issue.

We all know that there are better outcomes when there is diversity at the table. and whether that is in business or in government or in community matters or in family matters. And I think my male colleagues face the same challenges I do to make sure that there is equity and diversity.

HARPER’S BAZAAR: Would you mind sharing how you maintain a sense of balance between work, personal life, and lifestyle, especially in such a dynamic professional role?

SARAH HOOPER: We used to talk about work-life balance as though work was something different to our life. And now, thankfully, we talk about creating a work environment where people can bring their full selves to work. And we recognise the importance of well-being for achieving strong outcomes in our offices, whether that’s a factory or an organisation. For me, I think it’s really great that we’ve moved from this idea of life being separate from work to how we make work the best place that people can be and do their best.

Personally, I have discovered that I need to be physically fit to do my work well. And I also am incredibly grateful that I have a wonderful husband. as a life partner, because my job is really a partnership between me and my family, and I would not be able to do it without his support.

HARPER’S BAZAAR: I have seen that you have a very good eye on your fashion as well as your home furniture. I think they’re really good. So what role do you think fashion and lifestyle play in your life?

SARAH HOOPER: I think it’s a little bit of everything that you mentioned. It’s expressing identity. It’s a little bit about culture and it’s a little bit about personal joy. I think it’s a lot about personal joy for me. I’ve always been attracted to the arts and I really enjoy going to galleries and exhibitions here in Ho Chi Minh City. I think there is a lot that you can learn from the culture. You are living in the creative output and I also think the creative industries are an area of great opportunity for Australia and Vietnam to collaborate and build partnership with.

HARPER’S BAZAAR: Do you believe that personal style and especially the way that one dresses or communicates with each other can be considered a part of the art of diplomacy?

SARAH HOOPER: I think personal style and communication are powerful tools in the arts of diplomacy. You can put people at ease by the way you are dressed and the way you communicate. You can also demonstrate respect for people by wearing the clothing that they might expect somebody to wear in the circumstances that you’re in.

I think diplomacy is about influence, and influence is about communication. We need to communicate with everything that’s available to us, and that includes the surroundings we create, the comfort we bring to a situation, and the cultural messages that we can send through our clothing as well. So I think all those ways, it’s an essential part of diplomacy.

*** Production Team ***

Creative Director: Lee Khuất @leekhuat
Project Coordinator: Huy Vo @jamesvozb
Photographer: Tùng Salie @tungsalie
Editor: Minh Anh Đào
Makeup Artist: Đinh Trần @dinh.trn
Hair Stylist: Đặng Nguyễn Quốc Thái @dang.thai97
Videographer & Editor: Hito @hito.vinhan
Photography Assistant: Đỗ Anh Phong

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