Actor Russell Crowe, businessman Peter Holmes à Court and world surfing champion Layne Beachley have been named honorary Sydney Ambassadors.
Premier Morris Iemma said the three were international heavyweights who could influence people from industry, business, entertainment and sport.
Three NSW expatriates living in the United States have also been named as honorary Sydney Ambassadors to help promote the city through their international business networks.
The appointment of the 'ambassadors' aims to strengthen links between NSW and the USA and underline the importance of the Sydney and NSW relationship with the US.
The New York-based Sydney Ambassadors are:
- Rosalind Coffey − Global Human Resources Director for five divisions of Lehman Brothers, one of the largest and most influential investment banks on Wall Street.
- Mark Cullen – A Managing Director and Global Chief Operating Officer for Deutsche Asset Management based in New York.
- David Anstice – Executive Vice President of Merck & Co, a world leader in the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of human health products.
The new Sydney Ambassadors join a network of high profile and influential individuals promoting NSW in the State's major international markets.
They help to ensure that decision makers in these markets understand NSW’s many strengths.
The USA is NSW's fourth largest export destination and Australia's largest source of foreign investment.