Appointment of Chief Executive of Ministry

Appointment of Chief Executive of Ministry for Culture and Heritage

28 April 2009

The State Services Commissioner, Iain Rennie, today announced the appointment of Lewis Holden to the position of Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Mr Holden is currently Deputy Secretary of the Economic Strategy Branch at the Ministry of Economic Development, a position he has held since 2006. 

"Mr Holden combines a strong professional record as a successful public policy leader and senior advisor to Ministers with a personal affinity for New Zealand's culture and heritage.

"In his current and previous roles, Mr Holden has led key elements of the Government’s economic agenda, including the focus on Auckland.  He has successfully engaged with a wide variety of people within and outside government, ensuring that activities were aligned to the Government's priorities. He has the requisite leadership and relationship skills, policy expertise and management experience to successfully take on the role and deliver on the Government’s objectives for this agency," Iain Rennie said.

Following an extensive career with the Treasury, Mr Holden joined the Ministry of Economic Development in 2001 as head of the Ministry’s Industry and Regional Development Branch.  From 1995 to 1998 Mr Holden worked as an Advisor with the Policy Advisory Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and from 1999 to 2001 he was the Alternative Executive Director at the World Bank in Washington DC. Mr Holden’s public service experience has also included periods with the Department of Internal Affairs and the Royal Commission on the Electoral System. 

Mr Holden has also worked as a documentary film maker.

Mr Holden holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History and Politics from Victoria University of Wellington, a Diploma of Journalism from the University of Canterbury and a Master of Public and Private Management from Yale University in the United States of America. 

He takes up his appointment on 15 June 2009.

ENDS

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