Christopher Luxon

Christopher Mark Luxon (; born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and business executive who is the leader of the Opposition and leader of the New Zealand National Party since 2021. He became Member of Parliament (MP) for Botany in 2020. He was previously the chief executive officer of Air New Zealand from 2012 to 2019. Luxon was born in Christchurch and grew up in Howick in East Auckland, before studying commerce at the University of Canterbury. He worked for Unilever from 1993 and became CEO of Unilever Canada in 2008, joining Air New Zealand as group general manager in 2011 and succeeding as CEO the following year. He rose to public recognition as a commercial ally of John Key's government, and also for a pay dispute with the trade union E tū. Luxon won the pre-selection for the safe National Party seat of Botany in East Auckland in 2019, and retained the seat for National at the 2020 election despite a landslide defeat for the party nationally. He subsequently served in Judith Collins' shadow cabinet as spokesperson for local government, research, science, manufacturing and land information, as well as being the associate spokesperson for transport. Often touted as a potential National Party leader during a turbulent time for the party politically, Luxon won the leadership unopposed on 30 November 2021, after a party crisis caused the removal of previous leader Judith Collins. He led his party to a plurality of seats at the 2023 general election and is expected to head a National-led government. Early life Christopher Mark Luxon was born in Christchurch on 19 July 1970, to a Roman Catholic family of Irish, Scottish and English descent. He lived in Christchurch until the age of seven, when his family moved to Howick in Auckland. His father, Graham Luxon, worked for Johnson & Johnson as a sales executive and his mother, Kathleen Luxon (née Turnbull), worked as a psychotherapist and counsellor. After a year at Saint Kentigern College and another year at Howick College, the family returned to Christchurch and Luxon spent three years at Christchurch Boys' High School. While there, he won the prize for senior debating. He subsequently studied at the University of Canterbury from 1989 to 1992, gaining a Master of Commerce (Business Administration) degree. During his high school and university years, Luxon worked part-time at McDonald's and as a porter at the Park Royal hotel.