Phil Honeywood was born in Sydney in 1960. At the conclusion of his secondary school studies, he was awarded a one-year Rotary Youth Exchange scholarship to the Japanese Royal family's private school, Gakushuin Boys High.

This experience encouraged him to further his Japanese language and political science studies and he graduated with Bachelor of Arts (Honours ) from the ANU in 1984. Shell Oil Company recruited Mr Honeywood in the same year into its Industrial Relations department based in Melbourne head office. At the 1988 State election, Phil Honeywood was the only Liberal candidate to win a seat from the Cain Labor Government and he entered parliament for the seat of Warrandyte at 28 years of age.

Phil HoneywoodWith the election of the Jeff Kennett Liberal Government in 1992, Mr Honeywood became parliamentary secretary to the premier and had particular responsibility for Jeff Kennett's Multicultural Affairs Ministry. In 1996 Phil was appointed Minister for Tertiary Education and Training and Minister Assisting the premier on multicultural affairs. During this period he led four overseas education missions comprising university vice-chancellors, TAFE directors and large private college owners to promote Victoria as the education state of Australia for overseas students. The teaching of world class education in Australia to international students has remained a strong interest of Mr Honeywood's for many years.

Mr Honeywood retired from full-time politics, as Deputy Leader of the State Opposition, at the 2006 Victorian State election. Since then he has been Marketing Director for Melbourne Language Centre/Stotts Business College, Associate Director of Development at Swinburne University and Chief Executive of Cambridge International College. In November 2011 he was appointed National Executive Director of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA ) - the peak association for the international education industry. He also sits on a number of not for profit Boards including the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, VicTech Group Training Company, La Trobe University's Centre for Dialogue, the Australia India Business Council and the Bennelong Foundation.

Mr Honeywood has two adult children and lives on campus at the University of Melbourne where his wife is the Head of University College.