George Fergusson

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The Hon. George Duncan Raukawa Fergusson (born September 30, 1955) has been appointed as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand (NZ) and Samoa, and the Governor of the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands. He will take up his appointment in April 2006. He is due to succeed Richard Fell, CVO.^[1]. The name "Raukawa" is Māori and reflects the history of Fergussons being appointed as GGs of NZ.

Fergusson joined the Northern Ireland Office in 1978. In 1988 he transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as 1st Secretary (Political) in Dublin.

From 1991 to 1993, he was in the Soviet and then the Eastern Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. From 1994, he was 1st Secretary (Political/Information) in Seoul, and in 1996 he returned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London as Deputy Head of the Southern African Department. Later, in 1996, he became Head of the Republic of Ireland Department.

In 1999, Fergusson became Consul-General in Boston, and in 2003 seconded to the Cabinet Office as Head of the Foreign Policy Team.

He is married to the former Margaret Wookey, and they have three daughters. The couple also had a son, who died in 2005. Fergusson is the son of Lord Ballantrae, who was Governor-General of New Zealand from 1962 - 1967. The Fergusson line has a history of being appointed as Governor-General of NZ by the British Sovereign. However, since 1967 the Governor-General has been chosen by the Government of New Zealand and not by British authorities and hence New Zealand citizens are now appointed. Consequently George has been appointed as High Commissioner, representing UK interests in NZ, which is as high as the UK Government can now get to making an appointment in regard to NZ.