Deputy Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott today announced the appointment of Mr Colin Lynch as Government Statistician and Chief Executive, Stats NZ.
Stats NZ is New Zealand’s official data and statistics agency. Its work supports government decision-making in economic growth, social investment, infrastructure planning, funding the education and health sectors and the allocation of electoral boundaries.
Mr Lynch is currently Deputy Chief Executive, Policy at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. He has held senior leadership roles across the public and private sectors, including at the Ministry of Justice, the Treasury, and Stats NZ, where he previously served as Deputy Government Statistician. He was also a Partner at PwC from 2019 to 2024.
Ms Baggott said Mr Lynch brings deep sector knowledge, having worked across the full range of data and analytics delivery in the public sector.
“Mr Lynch has a strong track record of strategic leadership, building organisational capability and culture, and delivering results across government,” said Ms Baggott.
“He understands the importance of public trust in data and has a clear vision for the future of Stats NZ. He is well placed to lead the organisation through its next phase of transformation and supporting the delivery of better outcomes for New Zealanders.”
Mr Lynch holds a Master of Arts (Economics: First Class Honours) and a Joint Honours Degree in Economics and Sociology from University College Dublin.
He has been appointed for 5 years from 20 January 2026.
Biography
Mr Lynch is currently Deputy Chief Executive, Policy at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, a role he has held since June 2024.
From 2019 to 2024, Mr Lynch was a Partner in Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Between 2015 and 2019, he served as Deputy Chief Executive at the Ministry of Justice.
Mr Lynch held two Deputy Government Statistician roles at Statistics New Zealand from 2011 to 2015, including leading Customer and Service Delivery.
Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at the Treasury, including Deputy Secretary, Macroeconomic and Fiscal Environment (2010–2011), and Assistant Secretary, State Sector Performance Group (2007–2010).
While at the Treasury in 2008, Mr Lynch was seconded to Central North Island Forests and Waikato River Treaty Settlements.
He was Manager of the Treasury’s Health Section (Social Branch) from 2004 to 2007.
Mr Lynch holds a Master of Arts (Economics: First Class Honours) and a Joint Honours Degree in Economics and Sociology from University College Dublin. He completed executive education in Leading Change in Complex Organisations at MIT in 2013.
