Rebecca Needham

Assistant Vice Chancellor (International Engagement), Victoria University of Wellington

Rebecca has an undergraduate degree in Asian Studies from Auckland University, and a post-graduate degree in Business Administration from Massey University in New Zealand.  She was a foreign student in China in the late 1980s (East China Normal University and Shanghai International Studies University).

Rebecca joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1991 and has served at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing, the New Zealand Consulate-General, Shanghai, and the New Zealand High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.  Her work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has focused on New Zealand’s relations with Asia, including leading implementation and review of the first year of the New Zealand Inc China Strategy.

Over the course of her professional career, Rebecca has also worked in a range of private sector roles in South East Asia and China.  She is married with two children.

• Hong Kong/China Desk Officer, North Asia Division, MFAT, Wellington 1991-1992
• Mandarin Language Training, Taipei 1992
• Second Secretary Economic, New Zealand Embassy, Beijing 1993-1995
• Japan Desk Officer, North Asia Division, MFAT, Wellington 1996-1997
• Regional Director, North Asia, MAS Technology, Singapore 1998
• Director, New Asia Projects, Singapore                 1999
• Consul, New Zealand Consulate-General, Shanghai                 2001 – 2003
• ASEAN Desk, South/Southeast Asia Division, MFAT 2004–2005
• First Secretary (Economic), New Zealand High Commission, Kuala Lumpur            2007–2008
• Regional trade writer and consultant, Kuala Lumpur 2009-2010
• Senior Policy Officer, North Asia Division, MFAT                                                 2010 – 2013
• New Zealand Consul-General, Guangzhou April 2013 –