10 Facts About Simon Murdoch

Simon Peter Wallace Murdoch was born on 1948 and is a New Zealand diplomat and public servant.

Simon Murdoch was New Zealand's Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was previously New Zealand High Commissioner to Canberra, and Chief Executive of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Simon Murdoch had an early posting to Canberra, before joining the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1980 as foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Rob Muldoon.

In 1983, Simon Murdoch was assistant head of the Asian division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1987, Simon Murdoch returned to New Zealand and became head of the Australia Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1989, Simon Murdoch was seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to be head of the Policy Advisory Group.

Simon Murdoch was head of the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Prime Ministers Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley.

Simon Murdoch left the post in 1998, to become visiting professor of Public Policy and Management at Victoria University of Wellington for a year.

In 1999, Simon Murdoch was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia.

In 2002, Simon Murdoch succeeded Neil Walter as New Zealand's Secretary of Foreign Affairs.