SFO Director term extended
Karen Chang’s term as Director and Chief Executive of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been extended to 24 October 2027.
In an email to the Public Service Leadership Team, Deputy Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott said:
“Karen’s tenure has been marked by significant achievements across the organisation. Under her leadership, the SFO has strengthened its operational capability, modernised core infrastructure, and delivered consistently strong operational results.
“Karen has also expanded the SFO’s preventative and public engagement role, including delivering a successful national foreign bribery campaign, launching widely accessed counter fraud guidance, and embedding the Counter Fraud Centre as a core part of New Zealand’s fraud prevention system.
“Karen’s reappointment recognises the need for continuity of leadership at a time when several major investigations are at critical stages, and when the SFO is well‑positioned to continue momentum on its strategic priorities.”
Ms Chang says, “It is an honour to continue serving as Director, and a privilege to work alongside the dedicated staff of the SFO, whose professionalism and commitment are central to protecting New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place to invest.”
She looks forward to continuing to work with partners across government and the wider public sector to strengthen New Zealand’s response to serious fraud and corruption
Ms Chang’s bio
Ms Chang was appointed as Director and Chief Executive of the SFO on 26 April 2022 for a four-year term. Prior to this Ms Chang was Head of Enforcement at the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), a role she had held since 2017. She was also Acting General Counsel from November 2021, leading the policy, governance, corporate legal, investigations and enforcement functions.
Prior to joining FMA, Ms Chang was a senior Crown prosecutor at Auckland, conducting a range of judge alone and jury trials involving serious criminal offending. Ms Chang began her career in private practice, specialising in commercial and regulatory litigation, practising in Auckland, Sydney and most recently, in New York. She remains a registered attorney of the New York State Bar.
Karen holds a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Accounting & Finance, from the University of Auckland.