Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Matt Yannopoulos PSM will be appointed Secretary of the Department of Finance, commencing on 29 September 2025 for a five-year term.
Mr Yannopoulos is returning to familiar ground, having previously served as Deputy Secretary for Budget and Financial Reporting at the Department of Finance, where he advised the government on expenditure and non-tax revenue policy. Since October 2021, he has held the role of Associate Secretary at the Department of Defence.
The Prime Minister described him as an “experienced senior leader within the Australian Public Service,” noting his wide-ranging expertise across finance, defence and education.
Mr Yannopoulos was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2019 for his work as Deputy Secretary and Senior Responsible Officer for the Child Care Reform Implementation at the Department of Education.
His appointment comes after Richard Windeyer acted as Secretary of the Department of Finance from June 2025. Mr Windeyer will return to his substantive role as Deputy Secretary of the department’s Commercial Group.