Chris Seed takes up the position of Ambassador in Washington in January
2026.
He previously served five years as New Zealand’s Chief Executive and
Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, finishing in January 2024. His diplomatic career
included Deputy Secretary appointments in Wellington with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade (2009-2013) and the Ministry of Defense (2004-2008). He also served offshore,
including as High Commissioner to Australia (2013-2018) and Papua New Guinea (2001-
2003). Earlier, he was posted in Tehran, Canberra, London, and briefly the Solomon Islands.
He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2024 King’s Birthday
honors list for services to the state.
He is accompanied in Washington DC with his wife, Cecilia Warren.
May 6, 2026 at the The Hay-Adams Hotel