The newly appointed director of the Office of Ethnic communities, Wen-Chin Powles, has met prominent community leaders and representatives in a meet and greet event hosted by the Office on Monday, June 19.
Mrs Powles brings a wealth of experience of over 30 years in public service with an emphasis on international diplomacy and expertise on culture and heritage to the current role in Office of Ethnic Communities.
Mrs Powles has held senior positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) working on range of important relations for New Zealand including India and the United States (US) and holding diplomatic roles overseas such as in Beijing, the New Zealand Mission to the United Nations in New York, and Shanghai where Wen was the New Zealand Consul General (2006-2008).
In 2012-2014 Mrs Powles also worked as International Strategy Adviser at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, where she had the opportunity to lead delegations to China including of the iconic exhibition Kura Pounamu. In that role, Mrs Powles also had a chance to engage with institutions in other parts of Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East.
Before joining the Office of Ethnic Communities in May, Mrs Powles was Director of the Confucius Institute at the Victoria University of Wellington. She and her team established collaborative language and cultural projects with Chinese universities, schools around New Zealand, teachers, musicians, composers, writers and scholars.
An ethnic migrant herself, Mrs Powles is quite well connected with Indian and other ethnic communities. The Indian community in particular acknowledges and cherishes her deeply entrenched connections with the community. In an earlier role, she has also served as ex-officio Board member of India New Zealand Business Council - the premium body for promoting business between India and New Zealand.
Mrs Powles came to New Zealand from Malaysia in 1975 to study at the Victoria University, only to settle down permanently making Aotearoa her new home. Mrs Powles is married to Michael Powles, an accomplished former diplomat himself. Mrs Powles’ husband and daughter Nina, both are acclaimed writers.
Mrs Powles is passionate about arts (and still wishes she could be a jazz pianist) and is a Research Associate at Victoria University of Wellington’s Museum and Heritage Studies Department.