Paul Ash
Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Cyber and Digital, Christchurch Call; Cyber Coordinator, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
2022
Paul is the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Cyber and Digital, and the Christchurch Call and Cyber Coordinator, based in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Paul works closely with the technology sector and cyber and digital agencies in New Zealand and globally. Paul took up his role in March 2020.
Paul has had a long association with cyber and digital policy, including as part of New Zealand’s Christchurch Call team since its inception. Paul led DPMC’s National Security Policy Directorate from 2018-2019, providing policy leadership on national security, intelligence, risk and resilience, working with agencies in the national security sector. Paul led the National Cyber Policy Office from its establishment in 2012 through to 2017.
Prior to roles in DPMC, Paul was a career diplomat, serving as Deputy Head of Mission in Brussels from 2008 to 2012, and in postings and secondments in Solomon Islands, Beijing, and Taipei. Paul is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington and the Chinese Language and Area Studies School of the Foreign Service Institute.
At the Summit
The catalytic power of this Summit in bringing together those who are devoting their lives to pushing back and working to confront, understand and work towards solutions around hate in our society is a noble and difficult task. The Summit not only energized those who attended but led to connecting the dots in a global network of those doing this work. The stories of the victims of hate were painful to witness but their courage in coming forward was inspirational. Those who attended left energized with the hope that by working together solutions can be forged.
