Patrick English

Executive Director, The New Zealand China Council

Biography

Patrick has been involved with China since 1989, and only returned to New Zealand in early 2013 to take up the role of Executive Director to the New Zealand China Council.

The New Zealand China Council was established in 2012 and forms part of the NZ Inc China Strategy, launched by the Prime Minister in February 2012. The NZ China Council is intended to support a key goal of the Strategy; to retain and build a strong and resilient relationship with China.

Patrick worked for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for more than 17 years and over this time spent more than 12 years living and working in China. Patrick is an experienced Trade Commissioner and diplomat having served in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, as well as Malaysia.

Patrick has a BA in International Relations and Chinese, and a Masters in International Management and Chinese from the University of Waikato. For 3 years prior to his posting to Guangzhou as Consul General and Trade Commissioner, he was part of the New Zealand China FTA negotiations team and led the market implementation programme for the New Zealand China FTA agreement. Patrick has also recently been invited to join the Advisory Board of the Auckland Confucius Institute.