Rebecca Kitteridge

New Zealand public servant

Rebecca Kitteridge CVO
Kitteridge in 2010 (wearing the badge of the secretary and registrar of the Order of New Zealand)

7th Director-General of Security
In office May 2014 – 2023
Prime Minister	John Key (2014–16) Bill English (2016–17) Jacinda Ardern (2017–2023) Chris Hipkins (2023)
Preceded by	Warren Tucker
Succeeded by	Phil McKee (acting)
19th Secretary of the Cabinet
In office 26 March 2008 – 2013
Prime Minister	Helen Clark (2008) John Key (2008–14)
Preceded by	Diane Morcom
Succeeded by	Michael Webster

Personal details
Born	1964 or 1965 (age 58–59)

Rebecca Lucy Kitteridge CVO (born c. 1965) is a New Zealand public servant. Her current position is Deputy Public Service Commissioner and acting chief executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

She was Secretary of the Cabinet from 2008 to November 2013^[1]^[2] and Director-General of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service from 2014 to 2023.^[3]^[4]

Career

Kitteridge attended Upper Hutt College, and is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington.^[5] Her early career was in private legal practice before holding positions at the Crown Law Office, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.^[4]

She was Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet from 2003 to 2008 and Secretary of the Cabinet from 2008 to November 2013.^[1]^[2] During the last six months of this time she was seconded to the GCSB as acting associate director-general to carry out a review of compliance systems and processes there, in response to concerns of illegal spying on Kim Dotcom.^[6]^[7]^[8]

She was appointed Director-General of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service in 2014. She was the first woman to head the organisation.^[9] In late 2022, it was announced she would join the State Services Commission as Deputy Public Service Commissioner from March 2023.^[4] Instead, however, she was seconded to act as chief executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in March 2023.^[10]^[11] That appointment was extended in January 2024.^[12]

Family

Kitteridge has a husband and a daughter.^[8]

Honours

On 25 March 2014, Kitteridge was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order upon relinquishing her roles as Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council, and was invested by the Queen in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace.^[13]^[14] In 2017, Kitteridge won the Public Policy Award at the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards.^[15]

References

^ ^a ^b "Ms Rebecca Kitteridge, Director New Zealand Security Intelligence Service". NZSIS. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Rebecca Kitteridge named new SIS director". New Zealand Herald. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
^ "The trailblazing women who guard our security", 8 May 2015, ADLSI
^ ^a ^b ^c "New Deputy Public Service Commissioner appointed". The Beehive. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
^ "We're about security not spying: SIS chief". NZ Herald. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
^ "Review of Compliance at GCSB", Rebecca Kitteridge, March 2013, GCSB.govt.nz
^ "Kitteridge report 'pretty damning' – Key", 14 April 2013, NBR
^ ^a ^b "Clean sweep at spy agency - New Zealand News". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
^ "Trailblazers: Rebecca Kitteridge". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
^ Traylen, Jem (27 March 2023). "Rebecca Kitteridge fills in as head of PM's department". BusinessDesk. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
^ Young, Audrey (30 April 2023). "and who's in line for the top job". NZ Herald. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
^ Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission (23 January 2024). Appointment: Deputy Public Service Commissioner (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 29 March 2024.
^ "Buckingham Palace". Court Circular. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
^ "Royal Victorian Order". New Zealand Gazette. No. 38. 3 April 2014. p. 1092.
^ "My Food Bag founder Cecilia Robinson supreme winner at Women of Influence awards". Stuff. Retrieved 2 June 2018.