New President for IPANZ

At a special general meeting on 12 March 2013, IPANZ Board member Dr John Larkindale was elected to replace outgoing President Len Cook. Len will continue to serve on the IPANZ Board as Immediate Past President.

Before joining the IPANZ Board in 2012, John was New Zealand High Commissioner in Canberra from 2006 until his retirement in 2011.

A long-time public servant and diplomat, John joined the (then) Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972. In the course of his career, he served in New Zealand Embassies in Vienna and Washington, before becoming Director of Pacific aid in the Ministry in Wellington and then Tokelau Official Secretary. Later he was Deputy Head of Mission in both Beijing and London, before taking on the role of Executive Director of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Task Force in 1994. He then took up the position of Ambassador, Moscow, returning to Wellington at the conclusion of that assignment. In 2002 he became Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

John was born in Wellington and educated at Wellington College, Victoria University of Wellington (BSc; MSc (Hons)) and McGill University, Montreal, Canada (PhD). He was awarded a QSO in 1996.