Helen Stylianou is Australia’s Deputy Ambassador to Japan and took up the appointment in July 2025. Ms Stylianou is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary of the Trade Resilience, Indo-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Latin America Division, Australia’s Ambassador to APEC and Chief Negotiator in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework negotiations. Ms Stylianou has previously served in Brussels as Australia’s Deputy Ambassador to the European Union, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg (2016-2020). Ms Stylianou was Assistant Secretary, WTO Trade Policy and Services Negotiations in the Office of Trade Negotiations (2011-2016). Ms Stylianou was Counsellor, Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization, Geneva (2008-2011), Second Secretary, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Vienna (1999-2003) and Vice-Consul, Australian Embassy, Manila (1997-8). Ms Stylianou has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. She has a Masters degree in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.