The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has appointed Christian Hawkesby as interim Governor for a period of six months, following the unexpected resignation of Adrian Orr in March 2025. The appointment, announced by Finance Minister Nicola Willis, took effect on 8 April 2025, with the option of extending it by up to three months.
Hawkesby had been the RBNZ's Deputy Governor since 2022. The appointment formalised the role Hawkesby had held in an acting capacity since 5 March, when Orr stepped down.
HAWKESBY'S BACKGROUND AND CENTRAL BANKING CAREER
Earlier in his career he spent nine years at the Bank of England, and he was part of the founding team of Harbour Asset Management before joining the RBNZ as an assistant governor.
THE GOVERNOR'S ROLE
The Governor chairs the Monetary Policy Committee, is responsible for financial stability oversight, and is the institution's principal public voice on matters ranging from interest rate decisions to macro-prudential interventions such as loan-to-value restrictions on mortgage lending.
Orr had served as Governor since 2018. The specific circumstances of his departure have not been elaborated upon publicly.