Chief picked for mega-ministry

Transport to be among responsibilities of leading public servant when he makes shift from Corrections.

Posted on 13 April, 2026

The government has announced the appointment of Jeremy Lightfoot as secretary and chief executive for the new Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), which will start operating from July 1 this year.

The new ministry is being formed by merging the Ministry of Transport, Ministry for the Environment, and Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. It will also take on local government functions from the Department of Internal Affairs.

Lightfoot, pictured, starts his new job on April 27 and has been appointed for five years.

He is currently secretary for Corrections and chief executive of the Department of Corrections, a role he has held since February 2020. In the decade prior he held a number of senior leadership roles in the Department of Corrections covering operations, finance, technology and commercial functions.

Before joining the New Zealand public service in 2010 he was managing director of a UK based infrastructure and project management firm and has also held management roles in UK local government.

Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche says Lightfoot is an impressive, experienced leader with a reputation for delivery.

“Mr Lightfoot has led large workforces, including front line and multi-specialist workers. He knows how to bring that mix of skills together to achieve results,” Roche adds.

“He understands how to get policy, funding and delivery working in step and has worked closely with councils, Maori and communities – experience that matters for the challenges the ministry has been established to address.”