New Chair of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Trust

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr James Kember as Chair of the Trust from 1 January 2026, succeeding Dr Alan Bollard who stepped down on 31 December 2025.

Dr Kember has been closely involved with the Portrait Gallery in a number of key roles over the past eight years – as Chair of the former Development Committee and then of the Management Committee before becoming a trustee and board member in 2023. As a career diplomat with over 25 years experience of living and working in Africa, Asia, Europe, the USA and South Pacific, Dr Kember took a close interest in the selection and display of New Zealand artworks in New Zealand embassies.

One of his last duties as ambassador in Paris was to participate in the opening in 2017 of the exhibition of more than 200 pounamu treasures at the Quai Branly Museum. A decade prior to this he was involved in ensuring that New Zealand art was included in the official opening of the museum in 2006. Dr Kember noted that the 2017 exhibition was a special moment, as the inaugural museum director, Stephane Martin, was still in place, and the museum had held a number of exhibitions of Māori art in the intervening years and established important connections with Te Papa.

A graduate in history from Victoria University of Wellington and the University of London, Dr Kember is also Chair of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs.

When not working overseas, Dr Kember was involved with Wellington music through the Youth Orchestra (playing and later chairing its board), the Wellington Chamber Music Society committee, and the Bach Choir.