Martyn Dunne
Director-General
Martyn took up the role of Director-General in November 2013.
Before this appointment, he was New Zealand's High Commissioner to Australia – a role in which he was responsible for managing a range of trade issues with one of our most important trading partners. He was also responsible for leading the New Zealand Customs Service from 2004 to 2011. During this time at Customs, he was elected Chair of the World Customs Organisation – the largest international organisation responsible for setting global customs, trade security, and customs operating standards.
Until 2004, Martyn served as an officer in the New Zealand Army for 27 years, including service with the Special Air Service (SAS). He commanded the deployment of New Zealand Forces in East Timor from 1999–2001 and was subsequently responsible for the establishment of a single New Zealand Joint Forces Command in the rank of Major General.
Martyn holds a Masters of Arts (Strategic Studies) from La Trobe University, Melbourne. He is a graduate fellow of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies and a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College, Fort Queenscliffe. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management.
Chief executive expense disclosure reports
Scott Gallacher
Deputy Director-General Regulation and Assurance
Scott is responsible for all of the Ministry’s regulatory activities and functions, spanning across the food safety, biosecurity and primary production systems (including fisheries management and animal welfare). Immediately prior to taking up his current role in August 2012, Scott oversaw the Ministry's strategy, planning, and (organisational) performance. Between July and November 2013, Scott was Acting Director-General of MPI.
Scott has also worked in the private sector in both New Zealand and Australia, as well as with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including a 4-year stint in Geneva where he mainly worked on World Trade Organisation (WTO) issues, including China’s accession to the WTO. He has extensive experience in regulatory and international trade matters and has served as an arbitrator on a number of WTO disputes.
Deborah Roche
Deputy Director-General Policy and Trade
Deborah Roche joined as the Deputy Director-General Policy in late February 2013. Before joining MPI, Deborah was seconded to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for 18 months, where she was the advisor on State Services, Better Public Services, Defence, and Sport and Recreation. She remains a member of the Officials Committee on Economic Growth and Infrastructure.
Deborah’s previous roles included Deputy Director-General Strategy and Systems Performance at the Ministry of Health and Deputy Director Strategy at the Department of Health in the United Kingdom. She also ran the health and social care section of a leading UK think tank, guest lectured at the London School of Economics, and before this was a sports physiotherapist.
Deborah holds an MSc (London School of Economics), MAppSc (University of South Australia), CertTT (Waikato Polytechnic), and a DipPhys (Auckland Institute of Technology).
Geoff Gwyn
Chief Operations Officer
Geoff joined the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in 2012 and has held positions in Border Clearance Services, Director Joint Border Management System and Director of Intelligence Planning and Coordination.
He is currently the Acting Chief Operations Officer and is responsible for the delivery of border clearances, incursion diagnostics, surveillance, response management, compliance, intelligence, operational planning and national coordination. As the Acting Chief Operations Officer he leads MPI work across the biosecurity system and participates in the food, trade and primary production systems.
Geoff has a strong background in operational leadership that includes overseas deployments, major IT programmes and organisational development through several roles within the current Ministry and a previous career in NZ Police.
Ben Dalton
Deputy Director-General Sector Partnerships and Programmes
Ben's early career was in Ōtara and the mid-north working on community development projects. He also operated a portable sawmill, renovated houses, and established a private training establishment.
After completing an MBA at the University of Auckland, he was Executive Trustee at Te Rūnanga A Iwi O Ngāpuhi. Ben was appointed to the Māori Economic Development Commission in 1997.
From 2004 through to 2009, he was chief executive at the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. He is actively involved in the Whānau Ora programme in Ngāpuhi and is on the Northland Rugby League Board.
Roger Smith
Deputy Director-General China Relations
Leading MPI's team on the ground in China, Roger has over 30 years' experience in customs and border management covering national and international policy, trade negotiation and market access, and operational activities.
He previously held the post of Deputy Director-General Verification and Systems, where he had responsibility for leading New Zealand's border biosecurity activities and the verification and certification of New Zealand’s primary sector exports. Roger joined MPI in October 2011.
Roger has also served as the New Zealand Customs Counsellor in both Brussels and Washington DC.
Dan Bolger
Deputy Director-General Office of the Director-General
Dan first joined the organisation in 1986 as an agricultural economist for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In his previous role as Deputy Director-General of MAF's Strategy and Performance Group, Dan was responsible for leading MAF's corporate strategy management, organisational planning and performance, internal governance support, risk and assurance, and communications functions.
Dan has an extensive background with MAF's policy team, where he focused on issues affecting the economic performance of agriculture and forestry.
John Ryan
Deputy Director-General Corporate Services
John previously held the role of Executive Director of Corporate Services for the Capital and Coast, Hutt, and Wairarapa District Health Boards (DHBs).
Before this, he held senior positions in both public and private sectors, including Deputy Chief Executive/Chief Operating Officer at the Ministry of Justice. John has also previously undertaken a number of senior CFO and corporate roles.
John is actively involved in the arts and has recently been appointed to the boards of the New Zealand Festival and the Wellington Jazz Festival.
Risk Management Committee
The Director-General also has the Risk Management Committee to advise him on the effectiveness of MPI's organisational processes and systems relating to risk management and assurances. The Committee is an external group. It is chaired by Geoff Dangerfield (Chief Executive New Zealand Transport Agency). The other members are Peter Sherwin and Dr Allan Freeth.
Martyn took up the role of Director-General in November 2013.
Before this appointment, he was New Zealand's High Commissioner to Australia – a role in which he was responsible for managing a range of trade issues with one of our most important trading partners. He was also responsible for leading the New Zealand Customs Service from 2004 to 2011. During this time at Customs, he was elected Chair of the World Customs Organisation – the largest international organisation responsible for setting global customs, trade security, and customs operating standards.
Until 2004, Martyn served as an officer in the New Zealand Army for 27 years, including service with the Special Air Service (SAS). He commanded the deployment of New Zealand Forces in East Timor from 1999–2001 and was subsequently responsible for the establishment of a single New Zealand Joint Forces Command in the rank of Major General.
Martyn holds a Masters of Arts (Strategic Studies) from La Trobe University, Melbourne. He is a graduate fellow of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies and a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College, Fort Queenscliffe. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management.
Chief executive expense disclosure reports
Scott Gallacher
Deputy Director-General Regulation and Assurance
Scott is responsible for all of the Ministry’s regulatory activities and functions, spanning across the food safety, biosecurity and primary production systems (including fisheries management and animal welfare). Immediately prior to taking up his current role in August 2012, Scott oversaw the Ministry's strategy, planning, and (organisational) performance. Between July and November 2013, Scott was Acting Director-General of MPI.
Scott has also worked in the private sector in both New Zealand and Australia, as well as with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including a 4-year stint in Geneva where he mainly worked on World Trade Organisation (WTO) issues, including China’s accession to the WTO. He has extensive experience in regulatory and international trade matters and has served as an arbitrator on a number of WTO disputes.
Deborah Roche
Deputy Director-General Policy and Trade
Deborah Roche joined as the Deputy Director-General Policy in late February 2013. Before joining MPI, Deborah was seconded to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for 18 months, where she was the advisor on State Services, Better Public Services, Defence, and Sport and Recreation. She remains a member of the Officials Committee on Economic Growth and Infrastructure.
Deborah’s previous roles included Deputy Director-General Strategy and Systems Performance at the Ministry of Health and Deputy Director Strategy at the Department of Health in the United Kingdom. She also ran the health and social care section of a leading UK think tank, guest lectured at the London School of Economics, and before this was a sports physiotherapist.
Deborah holds an MSc (London School of Economics), MAppSc (University of South Australia), CertTT (Waikato Polytechnic), and a DipPhys (Auckland Institute of Technology).
Andrew Coleman
Chief Operations Officer
Andrew joined the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in 2012 and has held positions of Deputy Director General with responsibilities for Compliance and Response, Verifications and Systems and Operations. He is currently the Chief Operations Officer and is responsible for the delivery of border clearances, incursion diagnostics, surveillance, response management, compliance, intelligence, operational planning and national coordination. As the Chief Operations Officer he leads MPI work across the biosecurity system and participates in the food, trade and primary production systems.
Andrew joined MPI through the merger with the Ministry of Fisheries, where he had been the acting Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive for Operations.
Andrew previously had careers in the New Zealand Customs Service (for 10 years) and the New Zealand Police (for 20 years).
His experience is in organisational strategy, operational business planning and service delivery with a focus on intelligence, targeting and education.
Ben Dalton
Deputy Director-General Sector Partnerships and Programmes
Ben's early career was in Ōtara and the mid-north working on community development projects. He also operated a portable sawmill, renovated houses, and established a private training establishment.
After completing an MBA at the University of Auckland, he was Executive Trustee at Te Rūnanga A Iwi O Ngāpuhi. Ben was appointed to the Māori Economic Development Commission in 1997.
From 2004 through to 2009, he was chief executive at the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. He is actively involved in the Whānau Ora programme in Ngāpuhi and is on the Northland Rugby League Board.
Roger Smith
Deputy Director-General China Relations
Leading MPI's team on the ground in China, Roger has over 30 years' experience in customs and border management covering national and international policy, trade negotiation and market access, and operational activities.
He previously held the post of Deputy Director-General Verification and Systems, where he had responsibility for leading New Zealand's border biosecurity activities and the verification and certification of New Zealand’s primary sector exports. Roger joined MPI in October 2011.
Roger has also served as the New Zealand Customs Counsellor in both Brussels and Washington DC.
Dan Bolger
Deputy Director-General Office of the Director-General
Dan first joined the organisation in 1986 as an agricultural economist for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In his previous role as Deputy Director-General of MAF's Strategy and Performance Group, Dan was responsible for leading MAF's corporate strategy management, organisational planning and performance, internal governance support, risk and assurance, and communications functions.
Dan has an extensive background with MAF's policy team, where he focused on issues affecting the economic performance of agriculture and forestry.
John Ryan
Deputy Director-General Corporate Services
John previously held the role of Executive Director of Corporate Services for the Capital and Coast, Hutt, and Wairarapa District Health Boards (DHBs).
Before this, he held senior positions in both public and private sectors, including Deputy Chief Executive/Chief Operating Officer at the Ministry of Justice. John has also previously undertaken a number of senior CFO and corporate roles.
John is actively involved in the arts and has recently been appointed to the boards of the New Zealand Festival and the Wellington Jazz Festival.
Risk Management Committee
The Director-General also has the Risk Management Committee to advise him on the effectiveness of MPI's organisational processes and systems relating to risk management and assurances. The Committee is an external group. It is chaired by Geoff Dangerfield (Chief Executive New Zealand Transport Agency). The other members are Peter Sherwin and Dr Allan Freeth.