Abraham Denmark

Abraham M. Denmark is Principal Research Adviser: Australia-US Alliance at the Perth USAsia Centre, and a leading expert on Indo-Pacific security, US strategy and policy in the region, and the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indo Pacific. He brings more than two decades of experience spanning government, academia, think tanks, and the private sector.

Mr Denmark is a partner at The Asia Group, where he co-chairs the Defense & National Security Practice and leads the Australia Practice. He is also an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). 

Mr Denmark most recently served as senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III. In that capacity, he led the Department of Defense’s efforts to develop and implement the historic AUKUS partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom and supported the Secretary’s initiatives to counter threats posed by uncrewed aerial systems.

Previously, Mr Denmark served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia. He also served at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars as Director of the Asia Program, and later as Vice President for Programs and Director of Studies. Earlier in his career, he held analytic roles at the National Bureau of Asian Research, the Center for a New American Security, and in the US intelligence community.

Mr. Denmark is the author of U.S. Strategy in the Asian Century: Empowering Allies and Partners (Columbia University Press, 2021). He is a member of the Board of Directors of Pacific Forum and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His awards include the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (2024) and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service (2017). He has also received a Gold Commendation from the Australian Secretary of Defense and Chief of the Australian Defense Force (2024), the Order of the Resplendent Banner from the Republic of China (Taiwan) and is an Honorary Rear Admiral in the Republic of Korea Navy.