New Zealander to join top UN Agency

media release
New Zealander to join top UN Agency

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise ICT Director Liz Longworth is to join UNESCO, the United Nations organisation for education, science, technology, communications and culture in Paris.

Ms Longworth, currently Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Sector Director at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, will have global responsibilities as Director, Information Society Division in the Communications and Information Sector of UNESCO.

Her role will focus on the use of ICT to further social and economic development in Member States, including the enabling potential of ICT to benefit education, health and preservation of culture.

“This is a credit to New Zealand. It shows that New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has some of the finest talent anywhere in the world,” says Dr Neil Maxwell, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise General Manager Sectors.

“As a global organisation that values the connections we have with Kiwis everywhere from Silicon Valley to Paris, we welcome the opportunity of working with Liz and contributing New Zealand experiences to the development of global ICT strategies at UNESCO.”

Dr Maxwell praised the work Ms Longworth and her ICT team have done, including facilitating the release of the ICT Taskforce report, ‘Breaking through the Barriers’.

“We now have an excellent understanding of depth, competencies and growth needs of our ICT industry. We have a set of strategic objectives and priorities to support our ICT sector in its goals. This is essential to implementing long-term strategies for growth and to achieving productivity gains and technological advancements across the entire economy.

“Our work on ICT means that New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is well positioned to assist industry realise its target of 100 companies with $100 million in sales each, over the next 10 years,” says Dr Maxwell.

Ms Longworth will be seconded from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for a period of two years. She takes up the position in mid-August.

About New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand Government’s trade and economic development agency, formed from the merger of Trade New Zealand and Industry New Zealand. Using its network of offices in New Zealand and around the world, NZTE works with businesses to help grow their international competitiveness, profitability and capability. www.nzte.govt.nz

To download a copy of the ICT Taskforce report, ‘Breaking through the Barriers’, please visit: www.industrytaskforces.govt.nz

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