Description
Ben King is Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, a role he commenced in April 2024. As Secretary, Ben provides advice and support to the Governor- General, Prime Minister, and portfolio Ministers and works with his central agency counterparts in the Public Service Commission and Treasury to support the government to deliver on its priorities across the public sector; oversees work to build New Zealand’s national security and resilience to risks. He is New Zealand's lead official for national security and strategic crisis management. Prior to his role at DPMC, Ben was Deputy Chief Executive (Policy) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). He has also held various other roles at MFAT, including Deputy Secretary of the Americas and Asia Group. He has been New Zealand’s Ambassador to Thailand and the Foreign Policy Adviser at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. In addition to his posting in Bangkok, Ben has also served at New Zealand missions in Washington DC, Riyadh, and Canberra. Ben has a Master’s in Public Administration from the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Ben was also Student President at the University of Waikato, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours, First Class).
