Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been speaking to media at his regular post-Cabinet press conference.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis also attended the briefing, revealing she had asked Sir Brian Roche to apply for the job as public service commissioner.
"Sir Brian is a highly respected New Zealander who has held significant roles across the public and private sectors. He has a proven track record of leadership and delivering results and has strong networks in the public sector and business community," Luxon said in a statement about the appointment.
"He understands how to manage problems, develop talent and drive performance. This aligns well with our government's focus on raising the performance of the public service so that New Zealanders get the services they deserve."
Luxon told media Sir Brian has or shortly will be resigning from a number of directorships and appointments to take up the role, but he will retain a small number of board positions which the Governor-General has given approval for.
The prime minister was recently in Laos, attending the East Asia Summit.
Follow RNZ's coverage of the press conference with our live blog below:
