Rob Campbell

Robert James Campbell, (born 1951) is a New Zealand socialist, economist, trade unionist, businessman and public servant. He has chaired several organisations and institutions including Resistance Bookshop, the Distribution Worker's Federation, Federation of Labour, Guinness Peat Group (GPG), SkyCity, Summerset Holdings, Tourism Holdings, Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). He has also served as Chancellor of Auckland University of Technology since 2019. Between late February and early March 2023, Campbell was dismissed from his positions as chair of Te Whatu Ora and the Environmental Protection Authority over a social media post criticising the National Party's opposition to the Government's Three Waters reform programme; which breached the Public Service Commission's neutrality policy. Early life and education Campbell was born in Featherston in 1951 to a middle class European New Zealander family. Campbell and his family later moved to Hutt Valley, where his father worked as a banker. Campbell attended Hutt Valley High School where he played rugby. Campbell later studied economics and political science at Victoria University of Wellington where he became involved in left-wing politics and causes including the anti-Vietnam War and anti-Apartheid movements. Campbell credited Victoria University professors John Gould and Gary Hawke with influencing his career. He also became the director of an anarchist bookshop called Resistance Books in Wellington's Willis Street. After completing his bachelor degree with honours, Campbell became a junior lecturer specializing in economic history. He subsequently completed a Masters in the philosophy of economic history at Massey University.