John is the Director of Pest Management for Biosecurity New Zealand which is part of the Ministry for Primary Industries. His directorate is responsible for leadership and coordination across the Pest Management system as well as delivering large scale, national pest management programmes.  This includes the national Wilding Conifer and Wallaby Eradication programmes.

In addition, John is responsible for several large on-going biosecurity responses, most notably the responses to Exotic Caulerpa and the Freshwater Gold Clam.

John was previously Communications Director for the Ministry of Primary Industries, taking on that role in 2014. Prior to that he was General Manager of one of New Zealand’s largest public relations agencies.

Biosecurity New Zealand are co-opted onto the Pledge Executive Committee.