For many Australians, their most vivid memory of Arthur Sinodinos is of him walking into the Independent Commission Against Corruption - cameras flashing, microphones thrust in his face, reporters asking if his career was over.
It seemed like it was. Just two years ago, Sinodinos' role as a key player in two ICAC inquiries cost him his spot on the Abbott government's frontbench. His professed lack of knowledge of what was going on inside the NSW Liberal Party (of which he was honorary treasurer) or Australian Water Holdings (of which he was chairman) strained credulity. So did his frequent use of the term "I don't recall" on the witness stand.
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The rise of Arthur Sinodinos
The Liberal MP faced a corruption inquiry and was stood down from the Ministry but now has his own portfolio despite lingering questions over a donations scandal.
Now he's back - not just in cabinet but running his own portfolio as Minister for Industry, Science and Innovation.
Described only last week by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as "dodgy", Sinodinos is determined not to be defined by the darkest days of his career.
Having been given a second chance by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, he wants the Australian public to do the same.
"I appeared in the ICAC inquiries as a witness, not as a person of interest," he tells Fairfax Media.
"There were no findings against me. I want people to judge me on my performance.
"I have a long history in the public service, I'm a former chief-of-staff [to John Howard]. I've been around a long time."
Throughout his career, Sinodinos has been the quintessential backroom operator, exerting his influence behind the scenes. As Turnbull's cabinet secretary, Sinodinos operated as one of the PM's closest advisers - including travelling by his side throughout last year's election campaign.
Now he is on the frontline as the public face of his portfolio, a role he says presents a "different challenge".
He's going to speak his mind - even if it means taking on the leader of the free world.
In his inaugural speech, US President Donald Trump said: "We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs.
"Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength."
By contrast, Sinodinos, a former Treasury official with a dry approach to economics, says: "Protection stops you being lean, it leads to unproductive action and companies padding themselves out. If you try to prop up one sector over here, you damage another one over there - it's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
"Protectionism is a zero-sum game when we want to be lifting all boats."
Rather than simply handing out taxpayer cash to prop up struggling industries, Sinodinos has a broad vision for his role, including making the case for slashing company tax and improving education and training.
"Industry policy is about more than just what happens in my portfolio," he says.
Another important task is putting some fizz back into the concept of innovation. Once a buzzword that was used ad nauseam by the government, a view soon formed that all the innovation talk was in fact scaring voters rather than exciting them - particularly those in regional areas facing high unemployment.
Sinodinos clearly believes the government was too abstract in the way it sold its innovation message.
"Between consenting adults, innovation is still a word that should be used," he says.
"But we have to relate the broad concept to practical things on the ground."
Rather than hailing new technologies as exciting in and of themselves, Sinodinos says he will explain how innovation helps farmers to plant more crops, how it creates new jobs and makes people wealthier.
"There is an Australian genius for the practical and I want to harness that," he says.