New Senior Trade Commissioner To Europe Appointed

Tony O’brien Has Been Appointed As New Zealand Trade And Enterprise’s New Senior Trade Commissioner To Europe.

As Senior Trade Commissioner to Europe, based in London, Mr O’Brien will work to promote and facilitate trade opportunities and strategic alliances throughout Europe and will also oversee NZTE offices in London, Paris, Hamburg, Milan and Madrid.

“New Zealand has always had strong linkages with the United Kingdom and has a growing profile throughout the region for its sophisticated products and services, including increasingly in the information technology, biotech and creative sectors. I’m excited about building on this momentum and helping to increase New Zealand’s foreign exchange earnings,” Mr O’Brien says.

“It’s encouraging to see the growing range of products and services succeeding in niche areas across this region and the number of New Zealand companies establishing a presence in the UK to penetrate this market and access Europe. With the expansion of the EU, I’m especially keen to leverage existing contact with European markets to boost exports to further,” he says.

“We have a very skilled, professional and highly-motivated team in Europe and I am proud to lead them in assisting an increasingly diverse range of New Zealand business enter and expand into the UK and Europe.”

Building technology and research linkages between New Zealand and Europe is also a key objective as part of the Government’s Growth and Innovation Framework, he says.

Mr O’Brien has 10 years experience within Trade New Zealand, both on and offshore. Most recently he was Trade Commissioner and Consul General in Canada and previously Technology, Education and Services Team Leader; Engineering, Building and Construction Team Leader; an account manager in the marine sector and he has also been a Trade Commissioner to Sydney.

Prior to joining Trade New Zealand in 1993 Mr O’Brien worked for seven years at IBM in Australia and Canada. He has a BSc from Waikato University and a Diploma in Law from the University of Sydney.

Mr O’Brien replaces John Waugh, who has taken up the position of Regional Client Services Team Director for NZTE, based in Auckland.

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