John Allen (diplomat)

{{Short description|New Zealand public servant}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = John Allen

| image = John Allen 2014 (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Allen in 2014

| office = 9th Chief Ombudsman

| term_start = 31 March 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = Peter Boshier

| successor =

| office1 = Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington

| term_start1 = 1 January 2022

| term_end1 = 11 February 2025

| predecessor1 = Neil Paviour-Smith

| successor1 = Alan Judge

| birth_name = John Richard Allen

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = Victoria University of Wellington

| profession =

}}

John Richard Allen is a New Zealand public servant. From 2009 to 2014 he served as chief executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was the acting Administrator of Tokelau from 2009 until 2011.{{Cite web|title=Countries T|url=http://rulers.org/rult.html|access-date=2022-04-15|website=rulers.org}}

Allen had previous worked as chief executive of NZ Post. In April 2009 he was appointed chief executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,{{cite web |url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/mfat-culture-change-be-led-nz-post-ceo-john-allen-101811 |title=Mfat culture change to be led by NZ Post CEO John Allen |publisher=National Business Review |author=Allan Swann |date=30 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612060037/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/mfat-culture-change-be-led-nz-post-ceo-john-allen-101811 |archive-date=12 June 2016}} becoming the first non-diplomat to lead MFAT.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/allens-exit-opens-up-ministry-job/W7PQDLUH2M5ULUBZB6A4FFG2M4/ |title=Allen's exit opens up ministry job |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date= |access-date=26 November 2022}} His tenure was controversial, with restructuring plans resulting in widespread opposition from staff,{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6943530/Allen-wants-to-see-through-Mfat-changes |title=Allen wants to see through Mfat changes |publisher=Stuff |date=18 May 2012 |access-date=26 November 2022}} and in leaks of MFAT cables to the opposition.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mfat-staff-cable-leaks-continue/IYRB3VSCM7CGRQOP2YNRTA52XI/ |title=MFAT staff cable leaks continue |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date= |access-date=26 November 2022}} In 2014 he was forced to apologise to rape victim Tania Billingsley over his handling of the 2014 Malaysian diplomat indecent assault case.{{cite news|first=Paula |last=Penfold |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/3rd-degree/woman-at-centre-of-malaysian-diplomat-case-speaks-out-2014070915 |title=Woman at centre of Malaysian diplomat case speaks out |date=9 July 2014 |work=3 News |accessdate=15 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127091718/http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/3rd-degree/woman-at-centre-of-malaysian-diplomat-case-speaks-out-2014070915 |archive-date=27 November 2014 }} He resigned from the role in November 2014 to take up a role with the New Zealand Racing Board.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/260380/pressure-over-new-mfat-boss-decision |title=Pressure over new MFAT boss decision |publisher=RNZ |date=27 November 2014 |access-date=26 November 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mfat-chief-executive-john-allen-moves-to-nz-racing-board/FS6NHQNK5FULVFICFPYOXR6U6M/ |title=Mfat chief executive John Allen moves to NZ Racing Board |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date= |access-date=26 November 2022}} He was replaced as chief executive by Brook Barrington.{{cite web |url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/brook-barrington-state-sector-veteran-named-head-mfat-bd-169505 |title=Brook Barrington, state sector veteran, named head of MFAT |publisher=National Business Review |date=3 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404050947/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/brook-barrington-state-sector-veteran-named-head-mfat-bd-169505 |archive-date=4 April 2015}}

In September 2019 he resigned from the racing board.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing-top-boss-john-allen-set-to-let-go-reins/ZUBZXCY6MXBLWV44DTT4PMXBUI/ |title=Racing: Top boss John Allen set to let go reins |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=17 September 2019 |access-date=26 November 2022}} In 2020 he was appointed chief executive of WellingtonNZ.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/121310537/wellington-regional-economic-development-agency-appoints-new-chief-executive |title=John Allen named as new WellingtonNZ chief executive |publisher=Stuff |author=Damian George |date=28 April 2020 |access-date=26 November 2022}} In October 2021 he was elected chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126749727/new-chancellor-elected-to-victoria-university |title=New chancellor elected to Victoria University |publisher=Stuff |date=21 October 2021 |access-date=26 November 2022}}

In January 2025, the Officers of Parliament Committee recommended that Allen be appointed as the next Chief Ombudsman.{{cite web |url=https://selectcommittees.parliament.nz/download/SelectCommitteeReport/70541c49-30b5-4969-16b7-08dd39a48951 |title=Inquiry into the recruitment of the next Chief Ombudsman |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |date=21 January 2025 |access-date=21 January 2025}} The appointment was confirmed by Parliament on 30 January,{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20250130_20250130_42 |title=Appointments — Chief Ombudsman |publisher=Pāremata Aotearoa |date=30 January 2025 |access-date=31 January 2025}} and Allen took office on 31 March 2025.{{cite news |url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2025-ps1032 |title=Appointment of Ombudsman |date=25 February 2025 |work=New Zealand Gazette |access-date=1 March 2025}}