Brent has been a Customs officer for 35 years and has experience across a range of roles in the New Zealand Customs Service. He has experience in managing relationships across Government and with other Customs administrations, particularly in the South Pacific. He has previously been deployed to the Cook Islands for two years to work with the Cook Islands Customs Service in building their capability.

Recently, Brent has worked in the Border Operations area of the New Zealand Customs Service based in Auckland including filling the role of Manager, Northern Ports responsible for managing NZ’s International Mail Gateway, Air and Sea Cargo Inspections and clearance of all marine craft arriving in the northern part of the North Island of New Zealand. These areas are responsible for the largest number of seizures of illicit goods entering NZ and the largest total quantities of drugs intercepted by Customs in New Zealand.

Brent has experience in all areas of Customs which has included law enforcement in Airports, Marine ports, maritime surveillance, investigations and operational leadership. He also has experience in trade matters and a deep understanding of the supply chain.

Allwyn is New Zealand Customs’ trade specialist covering South East Asia. He works closely with New Zealand exporters and traders providing advice on Customs rules and procedures, assisting them in navigating through Non-Tariff Measures in ASEAN and gaining access to South East Asia markets. An important facet of his work involves working closely with Government Agencies in ASEAN Member States e.g. Customs, Ministry of Trade and development partners in the region, building capacity in ASEAN countries through targeted interventions. Allwyn represents New Zealand at International events such as APEC, the World Customs Organisation Asia Pacific Regional Heads Meeting, the AANZFTA FJC and related meetings.

Allwyn has worked with New Zealand Customs for over 20 years in specialist work areas such as Investigations, Audit, Trade Assurance, Intelligence, and Technical areas such as Tariff Classification, Valuation and Origin. During 2014-15, he was appointed as Head of Secretariat of the Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO) in Suva, where he was charged with transforming the OCO and making it fit for purpose with the right structure to achieve its goals.

Allwyn holds the position of First Secretary-Customs as part of the New Zealand Mission to ASEAN.

Daniel (Dan) Brunt joined the New Zealand Customs Service in 2005. During his time in Customs, he has worked at the Auckland International Airport, in the Detector Dog Unit as a Drug Dog Handler and as the Section Chief Customs Officer. He also spent some time as the Operations Manager for Intelligence. Dan has led several organizational programs of work including the New Zealand Customs Service Methamphetamine Campaign Plan.

Dan’s role prior to moving to Thailand was as the Service Delivery, Operations Manager where he coordinated the operational delivery of several business units towards Customs’ trade facilitation pillar. His remit also included New Zealand’s Secure Export Scheme, which is NZ’s Authorised Economic Operator programme.

Dan holds a Masters degrees in International Security, a Masters degree in Executive Public Administration, a Diploma in Operations Management and also completed the NZ Defence Force Advanced Command and Staff Course.

One of Dan’s trade focused priorities as the NZ Customs Counsellor is liaising with regional representatives in facilitating NZ Exports into South East Asian markets.

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