Oil Search Managing Director Peter Botten has joined a growing number of business leaders supporting Australia's youth to forge closer links to our region as a New Colombo Plan Business Champion.

New Colombo Plan Business Champions play an important role in promoting the value of regional study to undergraduate students' career prospects and in fostering business engagement with the NCP. Champions include Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer, Jetstar Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka and QBE CEO Emerging Markets David Fried.

He was appointed as Managing Director in 1994 and has since overseen the growth of Oil Search from a market capitalisation of around AU$200 million to its current AU$10 billion, within the top 30 companies on the ASX. Peter was recently made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Honours List for services to the community, mining and petroleum industries in Papua New Guinea. He was recently included in a Harvard Business list of the best-performing CEOs in the world.

Oil Search has offered to sponsor four internship positions for New Colombo Plan students to work with Oil Search in PNG's Southern Highlands and Hela provinces. These positions will cover health, engineering, environment, and finance and are the first NCP internship offerings in PNG.

Internships, mentorships and practicums are a hallmark of the New Colombo Plan and enable students to test their skills in real-life situations, build cross-cultural competencies and develop professional networks. Students return to Australia with new skills and maturity based on practical workplace experiences.

For more information on NCP Business Champions and New Colombo Plan private-sector programs, visit www.dfat.gov.au/new-colombo-plan/business.