Chief Executive

Chief Executive:

Martin Matthews
Tel: 04 439 9000
Fax: 04 439 9006

Martin Matthews became Chief Executive for the Ministry of Transport on 29 September 2008. He brings extensive experience in government, public policy and monitoring and working with Crown entities, having spent ten years as Chief Executive at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage immediately before joining the Ministry.

Martin successfully managed sensitive issues and high profile initiatives during his time at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and was responsible fore overseeing the funding and accountability for 18 Crown entities, Crown companies and Non Governmental Organisations. He was also responsible for leading a series of nationally significant initiatives, including the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, the New Zealand Memorial in London, the development of Te Ara (the online encyclopedia of New Zealand) and the transition to digital free-to-air broadcasting.

Martin joined the Audit Office in 1979 and was appointed Assistant Auditor-General in 1990. During this time he helped develop the Public Finance Act, the Public Audit Act and contributed to the design of the Crown Entity Act framework. From the Office of the Auditor General, Martin was appointed Acting Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in July 1998 before becoming Chief Executive in 2000.

Martin has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics and is a Chartered Accountant.


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