New Zealand appoints Christian Hawkesby as interim RBNZ Governor

(Reuters) - Christian Hawkesby has been appointed as Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) for a six-month term as the search for a permanent leader continues, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said on Tuesday.

Hawkesby had been serving as RBNZ's acting governor following the sudden resignation of Adrian Orr last month with three years remaining in his second five-year term.

“Mr Hawkesby is an experienced central banker who has held a number of senior positions at the Reserve Bank," Willis said in a statement.

"His appointment was recommended by the Reserve Bank board and will help ensure the continued integrity and operations of the Reserve Bank while the search for a permanent Governor is underway."

Hawkesby's appointment would take effect from April 8 and could be extended for up to three additional months, Willis said.

"I am proud to step into the role of Governor and continue contributing to our mission of working to enable economic prosperity and wellbeing for all New Zealanders," Hawkesby said.

Hawkesby joined the central bank in 2019 and was appointed as deputy governor in late 2022.

"His appointment reflects both his contributions and our confidence in his ability to continue strengthening New Zealand’s financial system, chair the Monetary Policy Committee and be CEO of RBNZ," the central bank's board chair Neil Quigley said.

Willis said that Hawkesby's brief term as governor would involve implementing the bank's new five-year funding agreement with the government, which will take effect from July 1.

(Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)