Sir John Key
former Prime Minister
In the 2008 General Election, Sir John Key led the National Party to success and served as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016.
John was born in Auckland but raised in Christchurch. He studied at the University of Canterbury receiving a Bachelor of Commerce and spent several years working overseas for US investment bank giant Merrill Lynch before returning to New Zealand to stand for Parliament with the National Party. He entered the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2002, representing Helensville as a National MP. In 2004, he was appointed Finance Spokesman for National and he succeeded Don Brash as National Party Leader in 2006.
Following his resignation, in 2017 John was appointed to the board of directors of Air New Zealand and chairman of ANZ Bank New Zealand.
John met his wife Bronagh when they were both students at Burnside High School in Christchurch. They married in 1984 and have two children, Stephie and Max.