H.E. the Rt Hon Sir Lockwood Smith, the High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom, will be joining us for a special Dean's Forum discussion event.

Students and alumni are invited to learn first-hand about Sir Lockwood's experiences of government reform in New Zealand. See below for a summary of his address on the New Zealand experience of reform over the past 30 years, which is still ongoing. As he concludes, "The modern, competitive world will continue to require ever more effective and efficient delivery of services to the taxpayer."

Biography

H.E. the Rt Hon Sir Lockwood Smith, KNZM, Ph.D. is the current High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom. Sir Lockwood served as a Member of Parliament from 1984 until his retirement in early 2013 to pursue a diplomatic career.

During his parliamentary career, Sir Lockwood served as a senior minister in various portfolios including Education, Agriculture, and Trade. Sir Lockwood also served as Deputy Minister of Finance, Minister of Forestry, Minister of Tourism, Minister Responsible for Contact Energy Ltd, Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office, and Minister Responsible for the National Library.

Sir Lockwood was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2008 and three years later and was unanimously re-elected to the role a position he held until his retirement.

Prior to entering politics, Sir Lockwood was the New Zealand Dairy Board’s marketing manager for Central and South East Asia. He had previously been a university lecturer and also hosted educational children’s television shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Sir Lockwood was educated at Auckland Grammar School and Massey University. A Commonwealth Scholar, he graduated from Adelaide University with a Ph.D in Animal Science in 1980. He is a keen sportsperson and fitness enthusiast. He is also a trained opera singer and ran a beef farming operation with his wife, Lady Alexandra. Sir Lockwood's knighthood was announced in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Sir Lockwood is also Ambassador to Ireland, High Commissioner to Ghana and High Commissioner-Designate to Nigeria. Sir Lockwood took up his posting in March 2013 and is joined in London by his wife Alexandra, Lady Smith.

This is an internal event for Blavatnik School students and alumni only.

Image and biography from the New Zealand embassy.