Malcolm Bligh Turnbull was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on 24 October 1954 to Bruce Bligh Turnbull and Coral Magnolia Lansbury. His father was a hotel broker and his mother a radio actor, writer and academic.

Turnbull attended Sydney Grammar School before going on to the University of Sydney, where he received an arts degree and a law degree. He then attended Brasenose College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar, where he attained a Bachelor of Civil Law.

Before entering politics, Turnbull worked as a journalist, lawyer, investment banker and venture capitalist. In 1993, he became the Chair of the Australian Republican Movement, serving in the position until 2000.

In 2003, Turnbull announced that he was seeking a seat in federal Parliament. In early 2004, he won the New South Wales seat of Wentworth. Under Prime Minister John Howard, Turnbull was appointed Minister for the Environment and Water in January 2007.

Turnbull retained his seat in the 2007 federal election, and was elected Liberal Party leader on 16 September 2008. On 1 December 2009, Turnbull subsequently lost a leadership ballot to Tony Abbott.

From September 2013 to September 2015, Turnbull served as Minister for Communications. On 14 September 2015, he resigned as Minister and announced he would challenge Tony Abbott as Leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister. He won the party room ballot 54 votes to 44.