Lyn Provost

Who is Lyn Provost?

Lynette Diana Provost is the Controller and Auditor-General of New Zealand. She was appointed to this position in October 2009 by Sir Anand Satyanand, the then Governor-General of New Zealand. This appointment was made on the recommendation of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, on the advice of the Officers of Parliament Committee. This statutorily-appointed position has a maximum term of seven years.

Provost was born and grew up in Gisborne, New Zealand. At age 18, she moved to Wellington to study accountancy at Victoria University of Wellington. After graduating, she started working for the Audit Office as an Assistant Auditor, and completed qualification as a Chartered Accountant.

She spent a number of years living and working in the private sector in the UK and South Africa. She returned to New Zealand, and took various roles in the public sector. She was the Director of Professional Services and then an Assistant Auditor-General for the Audit Office, the State Services Commission, and Archives New Zealand, where she gained experience in senior management roles. She was acting Chief Executive at Archives New Zealand.