James Kim-Russell

James Kim-Russell is a seasoned diplomat currently serving as a Senior Policy Officer and Deputy Chief Negotiator for Trade Policy and Negotiations at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade since November 2015. Key achievements include managing the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade, and Sustainability (ACCTS) through to ratification and leading political reporting on significant regional issues during tenure as Head of Political - Liaison Officer to the United Nations Command at the New Zealand Embassy. James has also contributed to New Zealand's development assistance to Kiribati and served in various roles including Acting Deputy High Commissioner and Development Officer. James holds a First Class Post-graduate Honours Degree in Diplomacy and International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Canterbury, along with professional proficiency in Korean.