Philip Turner

Philip Turner was appointed New Zealand Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in March 2018. He is concurrently Ambassador to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea).

Philip has extensive experience as a diplomat and a business leader in North Asia, with a particular focus on North Asia. With the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, he served on postings to the New Zealand Embassies in Tokyo and Brussels. He then moved to Fonterra where he worked for 18 years in a variety of senior positions in Shanghai, Tokyo, Brussels and Auckland. He managed Fonterra’s business in China, and most recently was Director of Global Stakeholder Affairs at Fonterra in Auckland.

Philip attended the University of Auckland in New Zealand where he graduated with a First Class Master of Arts in History. He speaks fluent French and Japanese, conversational Chinese, and is enjoying becoming acquainted with the Korean language.