Richard Bargh Deputy Chief ExecutiveNew Zealand Customs Service

Richard Bargh is Deputy Chief Executive Policy, Legal and Strategy at New Zealand Customs. The Policy, Legal and Strategy Group provides high quality advice on policy and legal matters to the New Zealand Government, Chief Executive, and Customs Executive Board, and is responsible for regulatory stewardship and the development and oversight of New Zealand Customs Strategy. Richard is a member of the New Zealand Customs Executive Board and Senior Leadership Team. Prior to taking up this role, Richard was the Group Manager Revenue and Assurance at Customs, responsible for revenue collection, trade services and assurance, including operation of the Secure Exports Scheme, New Zealand’s AEO programme. 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 New Zealand public sector. He completed an Executive Masters in Public Administration in 2008. Richard is currently the Chair of the WCO SAFE Working Group, a role he has held since 2022. He has extensive international trade experience, being part of New Zealand’s FTA negotiation teams between 2006 and 2012. He has also led development of a number of New Zealand’s mutual recognition arrangements under the WCO SAFE framework.  He has chaired inter agency work on trusted trader developments and led consultation with industry on legislation, cost recovery and development of trade initiatives.