Professor Cynthia Kiro appointed as Ahorangi Chief Executive

Society President Professor Wendy Larner FRSNZ said Professor Kiro was chosen after an extensive and extremely competitive selection process.

“Cynthia is an outstanding placement, bringing a wealth of experience from a very wide public sector, academic and research background. Professor Kiro’s networks are vast, and this is just what we need during a wave of change in Aotearoa and Te Apārangi. Now is the time for Royal Society Te Apārangi to stretch itself and we know Professor Kiro can deliver on that,” she said.

Professor Kiro (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine) is married to Dr Richard Davies, is a mother of four sons and has two mokopuna.

She is currently the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Māori) at the University of Auckland where her focus is developing a positive Māori profile within and about the university and helping develop Māori programmes in liaison with the Vice-Chancellor, Māori staff, students and the community.

Professor Kiro was Chair of Kia Piki Ake the Welfare Expert Advisory Group and was New Zealand’s fourth Children’s Commissioner − establishing the Taskforce for Action on Family Violence, the largest ever response to family violence. A large number of initiatives arose from this taskforce, including a very effective public attitudes campaign on stopping family violence.

Professor Kiro was also former head of the School of Public Health at Massey University and a former head of Te Kura at Victoria University of Wellington.

Commenting on the appointment, Professor Kiro said she was excited to be taking on this significant role. “I am sad to be leaving the University of Auckland. But the time for staged, considered advice about science, research, mātauranga and rangahau is now. That’s why I am excited to lead this prestigious organisation that has such deep knowledge, and I’m excited to see how that knowledge can be used to better inform what we do and to inform the public.”

“I am looking forward to walking alongside the Royal Society Council and Directors, connecting with all the Society’s networks and cementing new relationships with more communities,” she said.

Professor Kiro takes over the position on 1 March 2021 from Dr Andrew Cleland FRSNZ, who has led the Society from 2014.