Bruce Parkes

Department of Conservation

Deputy Director - General Science and Policy

The majority of Bruce’s career has been in the energy and telecommunications sectors. Bruce has been on the senior leadership teams of two of New Zealand's largest companies - Telecom NZ and Contact Energy, in a variety of roles. Most of Bruce’s experience has been in the broad areas of strategy, marketing, regulatory affairs and communications.

After 20 years in the private sector, Bruce joined the government in 2009 as a Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development (now Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment [MBIE]). Bruce was responsible for two portfolio areas. Firstly, the Energy and Resources portfolio which included a broader focus on future energy scenarios for New Zealand looking at the opportunities for the sector to play a major role in lowering emissions and positioning the country as an innovative leader in sectors such as geothermal. Secondly, the Telecommunications portfolio which had a major emphasis on the roll-out of Ultra-Fast Broadband. For both portfolios, the common theme was the potential for new technologies to drive innovation across the economy and positioning New Zealand for global success.

Bruce’s current role is with the Department of Conservation. This has included leading the Department's work on how to meet the twin challenges of ongoing threats to biodiversity and positioning the Department to meet a large increase in tourists. Central to this work is understanding how New Zealand's unique natural environment has a core role in our success as a country. Bruce led the development of Predator Free 2050.

Bruce has a Master of Arts (First Class Hons) in English Literature with a specialty in Charles Dickens. Bruce and his wife recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and have four adult children, aged 20 to 26.