Sir Jerry Mateparae

Sir Jerry Mateparae was born in Whanganui. Of Māori descent, his tribal affiliations are to Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu and Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi. He also has links to Ngai Tūhoe. He first became involved with BLAKE when he was the Governor General, and is delighted to renew his association as a Blake Awards Selection Panelist.

Sir Jerry has worked at senior levels in the New Zealand public service and military. He enlisted into the Regular Force of the New Zealand Army as a soldier in 1972, and later went on to command the New Zealand Army as Chief of Army in 2002, and the New Zealand Defence Force as Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force in 2006. On retiring from the New Zealand Defence Force in 2011, he was appointed as Director of the Government Communications Security Bureau.

Sir Jerry was New Zealand’s 20th Governor General and New Zealand’s 27th High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.