[1] Ingram grew up in Melbourne, attending De La Salle College in Malvern having been awarded a Victorian Government Junior Scholarship.

Ingram's career with the Department of External Affairs (as it was then known as) began in 1946 with his selection as a diplomatic cadet on the basis of competitive public written and oral examinations.

[citation needed] Ingram's service in developing countries and at the United Nations, where he had been the Australian representative on the Executive Boards of UNICEF, UNDP and UNCTAD, had convinced him that Australia's development cooperation program and overseas trade policy were critical components of Australia's foreign policy, although they were not always sufficiently recognised as such by responsible ministers and top officials.

Under his leadership the organisation changed its focus from food for work and associated development projects to humanitarian assistance in support of victims of natural disasters and persons displaced by internal conflict and war.

He advised Australian ministers personally and as a member of advisory committees on development and humanitarian issues including: Ingram died in Canberra on 15 February 2023, at the age of 94.