Maarten Laurens Wevers, CNZM (born 1952) is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 diplomat

Diplomat

A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...

 and public servant, who served as New Zealand's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...

 and Ambassador to Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. He is currently the Chief Executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand)

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of New Zealand is the department charged with supporting the Prime Minister of New Zealand and their Cabinet...

.

Wevers was born in the Netherlands and emigrated to New Zealand when he was just over one year old.

Wevers graduated from Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...

 with a BSc

BSC

BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...

 and BA

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 (Hons) in economics

Economics

Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...

. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Division

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is the New Zealand Government ministry responsible for promoting New Zealand's interests in trade and international relations....

, in 1977 and in 1982 was Second Secretary at the New Zealand Embassy in Japan. From 1985 to 1987 he was Private Secretary to the Prime Minister

Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...

 and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...

, David Lange

David Lange

David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...

, in Wellington before being seconded to the Institute of Policy Studies

Institute of Policy Studies (New Zealand)

The Institute of Policy Studies is a policy studies think tank founded in 1983 at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.The Institute of Policy Studies was established in 1983 as part of Victoria University of Wellington. Over the decades, the university environment has changed...

 at Victoria University of Wellington to undertake research on relations between Japan and New Zealand.

Between 1989 - 1992 Wevers served as Counsellor in the New Zealand Embassy, Brussels before becoming High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea (1993–1994) and as Ambassador to Japan (1994–1997).

In 1999 Wevers was appointed Chair of the APEC Senior Officials Meeting, during New Zealand’s APEC year.

In 2000, Wevers left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to become regional director of New Zealand Post International Limited

New Zealand Post

New Zealand Post, commonly referred by its acronym, NZPost is a State owned enterprise responsible for providing postal service in New Zealand.-History:...

 and General Manager, Government Business, for New Zealand Post Limited. In 2002 he became a general manager of Transend Worldwide, New Zealand Post's international subsidiary.

In 2004, Wevers was appointed Chief Executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

In 2000 he was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM).