Swedish woman from Riksbank will become the first woman to head the central bank of New Zealand

The Government of New Zealand has appointed 49-year-old Anna Breman, the first woman to hold this position, as the new governor of the country's central bank, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ). About writes Reuters.

Breman will start work on December 1. She was selected after an international competition that included about 300 candidates.

Currently, Breman is the First Deputy Governor of the Swedish Central Bank (Riksbank).

"Dr. Brehman comes to New Zealand with an impressive combination of technical skills and organizational leadership experience," said New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

Breman will be the first foreigner to head the RBNZ in its modern history. She will replace interim Governor Christian Gawkesby, who took over after the unexpected resignation of the previous Governor, Adrian Orr.

The decision was made amid criticism of the regulator's performance and conflicts with the government over budget cuts and a slow response to the economic crisis. The new governor is expected to restore confidence in the central bank and protect its independence.

Anna Breman noted that the RBNZ is "known in the world as the first to introduce inflation targeting." Its first monetary policy meeting will be held in February 2026.

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