Dr Anna Breman has been appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, making her the first woman in the role in the institution’s 91-year history.
Dr Breman was appointed First Deputy Governor of the central bank of Sweden (Riksbank), in September 2022, and she has been on the Executive Board as a Deputy Governor since 2019.
Announcing the New Zealand government’s decision on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said Dr Breman “comes to New Zealand with an impressive blend of technical skills and organisational leadership experience”.
“She holds a PhD in Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics and has previously been group chief economist at Swedbank, a leading Swedish commercial bank. She has also worked at the Swedish Ministry of Finance, the World Bank and as an academic economist in the United States.”
In a worldwide search process, the Reserve Bank identified 300 candidates to replace the previous governor, Adrian Orr.
The list of 300 narrowed to 10 people, and then a four-person shortlist before Dr Breman was chosen.
Willis said the criteria they looked at for the new governor included leadership, technical credentials, stakeholder engagement experience, personal resilience and cultural capability.
Speaking to the news of her appointment, Dr Breman said she is proud to have been selected to the role due to her impressive credentials, while also hoping representation of a woman in the governor role will have a positive ripple effect on the younger generation of female leaders.
“I do have experience in central banking, academia, in the financial sector. But I can tell you on a personal note that when I told my eldest daughter I had been offered this position she was so happy for me, and that made me really happy. Because to her it was very special that I was offered the position and that I did want to take the position,” Dr Breman said.
As for her agenda in the role, she said the Bank would remain focused on delivering to lower inflation, as central banks saw inflation surge after the Covid pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“We have all been reminded how harmful and hurtful high inflation is to households and firms, to our economies. Now inflation is lower but the global environment is still challenging.
“We are facing geo-political tensions and trade tensions which weigh on the New Zealand economy and other economies.”
Dr Breman said the three main areas of responsibility the NZ’s Reserve Bank holds is price stability, supervision of the economic system and ensuring a safe and efficient payment system.
“The Reserve bank is an excellent institution – it is known globally for being first to adopt inflation targeting. But it is also known for its highly skilled staff,” Dr Breman told reporters.
“The Reserve Bank should and it will remain a source of strength and stability for the New Zealand economy.”
Dr Breman will step into the role of Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on 1 December 2025 and has said she wants to travel the country to listen to people and communicate effectively.