Jonathan Kings

Jonathan Kings assumed his position in April 2022. Jonathan is a senior diplomat, and prior to his appointment Jonathan was from 2015 to 2022 the Deputy Secretary for the Pacific and Development Group in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Pacific and Development Group is responsible for New Zealand’s diplomatic relationships in the Pacific, and it is responsible for New Zealand’s development assistance and humanitarian assistance programmes. Prior his appointment as Deputy Secretary Jonathan was the Administrator of Tokelau. Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand. He was also responsible for New Zealand’s relationships with Niue (a country in free association with New Zealand).

Before becoming a diplomat Jonathan had extensive experience in investment attraction, trade development, and economic development in New Zealand and internationally. Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2010, Jonathan was responsible for New Zealand’s investment attraction agency, Investment New Zealand. Jonathan also had responsibilities for New Zealand’s export development activities and national economic development programmes in New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Industry New Zealand. Jonathan also spent several years seconded to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (the OECD) in Paris where he worked on regional development issues. Prior to entering the public sector in 2000, Jonathan was chief executive of an Australasian energy sector consulting firm, and before that he was a senior manager with a multinational in the energy sector.

Jonathan is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.