Secretary of Defence
John McKinnon
John McKinnon took up the position of Chief Executive and Secretary of Defence in December 2006. Prior to his appointment Mr McKinnon was a Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in November 2004 with oversight of programmes covering the Americas, Asia, and security policy.
In his earlier diplomatic career John McKinnon was New Zealand Ambassador to China, stationed in Beijing, a position he took up in February 2001. John McKinnon joined the then Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1974 and was first posted to China as a second secretary in 1978, following two years Chinese language training in Hong Kong. Following his return to New Zealand from China in 1980 John McKinnon was assigned to the Asian Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He later worked on secondment with Fletcher Challenge for a year. John McKinnon's subsequent postings in the diplomatic service were to Washington (1985-1986), Canberra (1986-1990) and New York (1992-1995), the last as Deputy Permanent Representative during New Zealand's term on the United Nations Security Council. From 1995 to 1999 John McKinnon was Director of the External Assessments Bureau in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
John McKinnon was born in Wellington in 1950. He was educated at Nelson College, Victoria University of Wellington and the London School of Economics. He is married with three children.