Cecile Hillyer

Cecile Hillyer became Deputy Chief Executive People and Operations on 1 September 2025, leaving the role of High Commissioner to Canada that she took up in January 2024.  In the eight years prior to that, she held senior leadership roles in New Zealand’s security, defence and intelligence sector.  From 2019 to 2023, she led the International Security and Disarmament Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  Her team covered defence and national security policy coordination, transnational organised crime, emerging threats policy such as cyber security and space, disarmament and non-proliferation issues, as well as counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism.  Cecile was appointed to the concurrent role of Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism in May 2020.

Cecile was seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2016 to 2019 first as Director, Intelligence and Assessments, including responsibility for the National Assessments Bureau, then acting as Deputy Chief Executive, National Security Group.  Her responsibilities covered national intelligence assessments and intelligence coordination, then national security policy including cyber security, emergency management, and security and intelligence policy. 

 In her career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Cecile has been Director of Global Development for the New Zealand Aid Programme, leading teams engaging in bilateral development in South East Asia and other regions outside the Pacific, Head of Audit Review Division and rotations in other parts of the Ministry.  Her postings have included Moscow, London, Noumea and Mexico, the last two as Consul-General and Ambassador.