John Whitehead (public servant)

John Henry Whitehead CNZM KStJ is a New Zealand economist. He served as Secretary of the Treasury between April 2003 and May 2011. He has been chancellor and board chair of St John New Zealand since June 2020.

For other public servants named John Whitehead, see John Whitehead (disambiguation).

John Whitehead
CNZM KStJ
Whitehead in 2022
Secretary to the Treasury of New Zealand
In office
8 April 2003 – 31 May 2011
Prime MinisterHelen Clark (2003–2008)
John Key (2008–2011)
Preceded byAlan Bollard
Succeeded byGabriel Makhlouf
Personal details
Alma materM.Com (Hons),B.Sc (Hons),
University of Canterbury

Early career

Whitehead graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science with Honours degree in Mathematics and later completed a Master of Commerce with First Class Honours in Economics in 1975, both from the University of Canterbury.[1] Before joining Treasury, Whitehead worked in the Statistics Department and was Deputy Director of the Labour Party Research Unit (1977–82).

Treasury

Whitehead joined Treasury in 1982, subsequently filling positions as Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Director of Tax Policy and International Economics. He was appointed Deputy Secretary and Branch Manager of Corporate Services in 1996.

Between 1985 and 1992, he worked as an Economic Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office and David Lange's government (1985–88), and as a Minister (Economic) at the New Zealand High Commission in London. After acting in the role, Whitehead was appointed as Treasury Secretary and chief executive on 8 April 2003[1] and served in that role until 31 May 2011.[2]

In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, Whitehead was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services as Secretary to the Treasury.[3]

World Bank

Whitehead was a World Bank Executive Director from August 2011 to July 2013 for Australia, Cambodia, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.[4]

St John New Zealand
Whitehead installs Dame Cindy Kiro as prior of the Order of St John in New Zealand, at Government House, Auckland, on 17 March 2022

In 2016, Whitehead was appointed to the board of St John New Zealand.[5] In March 2019, he was made an Officer of the Order of St John,[6] and in February 2020 he was promoted to Knight of the Order of St John.[7] He was appointed chancellor and chair of the national priory board of St John New Zealand for a three-year term from 24 June 2020.[5]

References
  1. "Whitehead appointed Treasury secretary". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. 8 April 2003. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  2. "Appointment of Chief Executive and Secretary to the Treasury". The Treasury New Zealand. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  3. "Queen's Birthday honours list 2011". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  4. Tarrant, Alex (2 November 2010). "Govt to nominate Treasury's John Whitehead as executive director to World Bank, Finance Minister Bill English says". interest.co.nz. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  5. Jones, Ngaire (20 July 2020). "Key appointment – St John appoints new chancellor and chair of board". St John New Zealand. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. "Order of St John". The London Gazette. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  7. "Order of St John". The London Gazette. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
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