Marie Shroff

Dame Marie Shroff
DNZM CVO
2nd Privacy Commissioner
In office
2003–2014
Preceded byBruce Slane
Succeeded byJohn Edwards
15th Secretary of the Cabinet
In office
6 October 1987 – 2003
Preceded byPatrick Millen
Succeeded byDiane Morcom
Personal details
Born1944

Dame Janet Marie Shroff DNZM CVO (born 1944)[1] is a New Zealand public servant who served as the Cabinet Secretary and then as Privacy Commissioner.

Shroff was born in Auckland and educated at Epsom Girls' Grammar School and the University of Auckland.[1] She worked as a research assistant for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) and then as a journalist for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation.[1][2] Her husband also worked for MFAT, and so she worked as a teacher at Samoa College, and then for the UK Cabinet Office during his foreign postings.[2][1] On her return to New Zealand she worked for the State Services Commission in policy development and then on the creation of State-owned Enterprises.[1]

From 1987 to 2003 she served as Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council of New Zealand[3] and during that time she co-led a senior officials group which prepared central government for the introduction of the proportional electoral system in New Zealand.[4] From 2003 to 2014 she served as Privacy Commissioner.[5] In August 2019 she was appointed to chair the New Zealand Electoral Commission.[6]

She is a member of the Media Council and on the boards of Consumer NZ, the Consumer Foundation, and in 2017 Shroff became the inaugural chair of the Privacy Foundation New Zealand, and she continues to sit on its board.[7][8]

Shroff (right), after her investiture as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, at Government House, Auckland, on 30 May 2022

Shroff was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993.[9] She was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1995 and a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2004 New Years honours list.[2] In the 2022 New Year Honours, Shroff was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the State and the community.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Interview with Marie Shroff". National Library of New Zealand. 18 March 2000. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Privacy and Technology – Innovative Partners". New Zealand Computer Society. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Silent witness reflects on Cabinet". New Zealand Herald. 29 September 2003. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Meet the Board". Elections.nz. The Electoral Commission. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  5. ^ "About Us". Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Marie Shroff new Electoral Commission Chair". Electoral Commission. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Patron & Committee". Privacy Foundation New Zealand. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Meet the Board". Elections.nz. The Electoral Commission. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  9. ^ "The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – Register of recipients". DPMC. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  10. ^ "New Year Honours: the full list of 2022". New Zealand Herald. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.