Clare has served as New Zealand’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade
Organisation since February 2022.
Previously, Clare held the position of Assistant Secretary in the Trade and Economic Group of the
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). She was appointed to the role in April
2017, with responsibility for the Trade Negotiations Division of the Ministry’s Trade and Economic
Group. She also led New Zealand’s trade negotiation with the Pacific Alliance.
From April 2013 to March 2017 she served as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent
accreditations in Central America.
Earlier roles in the Trade and Economic Group of MFAT included as New Zealand’s lead Goods
negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiation.
Clare was posted as Counsellor in the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the World Trade
Organisation in Geneva from 2003 to 2007. Previously, she worked as First Secretary and Consul
General in the New Zealand Embassy in Santiago, Chile.
From 2007 to 2009 Clare worked as a Trade Adviser in the Geneva office of the law firm White & Case
LLP, covering a range of international trade law issues, in particular, trade in services, accessions to
the WTO and WTO disputes.