Who we are

Our Māori name – Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa – translates as “the authority that screens and protects New Zealand”.

Customs has about 1,200 staff spread around the country. We’re located at all of New Zealand's international airports and ports, as well as offices in:

• Bangkok
• Beijing
• Brussels
• Canberra
• London
• Tokyo
• Washington, DC.

Customs Executive Board

Chief Executive and Comptroller; Chair of Border Executive Board

Christine Stevenson was appointed the Chief Executive and Comptroller of the New Zealand Customs Service on 1 January 2019.

In December 2020, Christine was appointed Chair of the Border Executive Board (BEB), an interdepartmental executive board made of up to six chief executives of the key border agencies:

• New Zealand Customs Service
• Ministry for Primary Industries
• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (Immigration New Zealand)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Transport

The BEB started in January 2021 to provide effective governance of New Zealand’s border system and processes, identify and manage future risks, and make strategic improvements.

Prior to joining Customs, Christine was Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections. She is also a former Deputy Chief Executive at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Social Development.

Deputy Chief Executive, Operations

Jamie Bamford is the Deputy Chief Executive, Operations.

Jamie joined Customs in 2015 as the Group Manager - Intelligence, Investigations & Enforcement. In this role, he led and supported the organisation’s move towards an intelligence-led, risk-based border management approach. The role focused on increasing Customs’ ability to identify risk, target and detect non-compliance and carry out enforcement.

Prior to joining Customs, Jamie worked for the New Zealand Intelligence Community. He has also worked for the London Metropolitan Police Service in various roles, including Special Branch and being based at Heathrow Airport and Scotland Yard.

Deputy Chief Executive, International and Governance

Joe Cannon is the Deputy Chief Executive, International and Governance.

Joe began his career at Customs in 2014 as Manager Central and Southern Ports, Border Operations, and then held roles as Customs Counsellor Beijing, and most recently, Director International.

Joe has a great deal of operational and international knowledge in relation to Customs, and strong people leadership and relationship management experience. Throughout Joe’s tenure at Customs, he has represented Customs professionally, warmly, and effectively with important domestic and overseas partners.

Prior to joining Customs, Joe held operational and managerial roles in the UK for a number of years, and was Operations Manager for New Zealand Post.

Deputy Chief Executive, Finance, Technology and Infrastructure

Sharon May is the Deputy Chief Executive Finance, Technology and Infrastructure and is responsible for Finance, Information Systems and Corporate Services. Sharon is also currently the Senior Responsible Owner for the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Programme.

Sharon joined Customs in 2019 and has more than 25 years’ experience in public sector financial management, corporate planning and reporting and enterprise portfolio management working in Transport, Education and more recently at Inland Revenue. Sharon has a strong interest in system wide leadership and was one of the leads for The Treasury’s financial development programme which seeks to increase strategic financial capabilities across New Zealand government agencies.

Deputy Chief Executive, Policy, Legal and Strategy

Richard Bargh is Deputy Chief Executive Policy, Legal and Strategy.  The Policy, Legal and Strategy Group provides high quality advice on policy and legal matters to the Minister, Chief Executive,  and Executive Board, and is responsible for regulatory stewardship and the development and oversight of Customs Strategy. 

Prior to taking up this role, Richard was the Group Manager Revenue and Assurance at Customs, responsible for revenue collection, trade services and assurance. He was the lead for Customs’ Covid-19 Economic Recovery Programme and was executive lead for Customs Trade strategy. 

Richard joined Customs in 2005. He has over 25 years’ experience in policy, project management and operations in the public sector. He completed an Executive Masters in Public Administration in 2008.