New Zealand ambassador to discuss trans-Pacific trade at Rice’s Baker Institute

CONTACT: Franz Brotzen
PHONE: 713-348-6775
E-MAIL: franz.brotzen@rice.edu

New Zealand ambassador to discuss trans-Pacific trade at Rice’s Baker Institute

New Zealand is a major exporter, especially of agricultural products. Exports account for nearly one-fourth of the nation’s total output. New Zealand’s ambassador to the United States, Roy Ferguson, will speak on “The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A High-Standard 21st-Century Trade Agreement” May 11 at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Ferguson’s presentation will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Baker Hall’s Doré Commons on the Rice University campus, 6100 Main St. For directions, go to http://www.bakerinstitute.org/media/media_directions.cfm.

Ferguson, a career diplomat, took up his post in 2006. He was director of the Americas Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2002 to 2005 and was on the boards of the New Zealand-United States Council, Fulbright New Zealand, the Ian Axford Fellowships and the New Zealand Centre for Latin American Studies. Previously, he served in Washington as deputy chief of mission between 1991 and 1995. From 1999 to 2002 he served as New Zealand’s ambassador to the Republic of Korea. In 2002, he concurrently became New Zealand’s ambassador to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He has also served in Manila and Canberra. 

Ferguson was educated at the University of Canterbury, where he received a master’s degree in history and political science. He was awarded the Canterbury Fellowship and a Fulbright Travel Grant, which enabled him to study at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Penn with a master’s in international relations. More recently he completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School in 1998. 

Rice University President David Leebron and Baker Institute Founding Director Edward Djerejian will deliver welcoming remarks.

The event is co-sponsored by the Greater Houston Partnership and the Baker Institute.

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Franz Brotzen at franz.brotzen@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.