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Senior diplomat Warwick Hawker will become the new Director of the Auckland Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, MFAT Chief Executive John Allen has announced.
Mr Allen made the announcement while speaking to a meeting of members of Export New Zealand in Auckland today,
“Our Auckland office is a key outreach post in New Zealand’s biggest and most dynamic regional economy.
“The Ministry is committed to supporting New Zealand’s export sector boost its overseas earnings both through opening new markets and expanding access to existing markets
“Having an office in Auckland allows us to underpin and grow the connections between Auckland and the ministry’s negotiators, policy officers and our network of posts offshore,” Mr Allen said.
He said Mr Hawker was well suited to undertake this role, particularly with his familiarity with Asia, Australia, the Pacific and the Middle East, which makes him especially well placed to support the fast-growing relationships in these key regions.
Mr Hawker has a strong trade background, having started his career with the Department of Trade and Industry. He has served as Trade Commissioner in Singapore, Fiji and New Zealand Consul and Trade Commissioner in Adelaide.
As a diplomat he has been the Deputy High Commissioner in Malaysia, the Deputy Chief of Mission in China, the Ambassador to Iran and the High Commissioner to Tonga.
More recently, Mr Hawker has worked in the Ministry’s Pacific and Australia Divisions in Wellington.
In addition to working with the Ministry over the past decade Mr Hawker has had first-hand experience in the wine business, having worked with his wife Jenny to develop the Pisa Range vineyard in Central Otago.
Mr Hawker will replace veteran diplomat Michael Chilton as the Director of the Auckland Office. He will take up the position at the beginning of May.
