Global investment leader to head Invest New Zealand
Robert Wall will be joining Invest New Zealand as its inaugural chief executive, Invest New Zealand Chair Rob Morrison announced today.
Robert joins Invest New Zealand from Lazard Asset Management, where he is currently a managing director and co-head of the quantitative and alternative investment management group. He was previously a Partner at Federated Hermes Infrastructure and spent almost a decade at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, one of the largest and most reputable pension funds globally.
“Robert is a highly experienced and accomplished investment leader with more than twenty years of international experience across some of the world’s pre-eminent financial services firms. He has led global investment teams with a focus on infrastructure, managing investments in the UK, Europe, Canada and elsewhere on behalf of a range of institutional investors.
“He has a depth of expertise supporting investors to deploy capital internationally and a wide network of relationships among leading sovereign wealth and pension funds,” Mr Morrison says.
Robert was raised in New Zealand and will return with his family to Auckland from London. “I am excited to be coming home to lead the team at Invest New Zealand, to develop investment opportunities in sectors with high growth and productivity. Our work will help to create jobs, improve infrastructure, and deliver lasting economic benefits for all New Zealanders.”
Invest New Zealand was established on 1 July 2025 as an Autonomous Crown Entity. Its purpose is to materially increase the flow of foreign direct investment into New Zealand with a focus on sectors with high growth and productivity potential.
Robert will start in the role in mid-February. The interim CEO, Peter Chrisp, will continue in the role until Robert arrives.
ENDS
For media inquiries: Fiona Acheson, Fiona.Acheson@investnz.govt.nz Tel:+64 27 248 9895