Deborah Geels is Ambassador to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, and Permanent Representative to the UN and Other International Organisations in Vienna since February 2013.
Previously Deborah Geels was Director of Consular Division from 2009-2012 where, as part of the Ministry’s change programme, she led the development of new business processes and structures for the delivery of consular services.
From 2006-2008 Ms Geels served as Deputy Head of Mission to Beijing. She has also served tours to the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva (1997-2002), where she was Counsellor responsible for human rights, the ILO and WHO, and to Vanuatu(1993-95). Deborah Geels has held several positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade focusing on multilateral work, the Pacific islands, Asia and development assistance since she joined the Ministry in 1986.
She is a graduate in economics and political science from the University of Canterbury.
