The Incredible Journey of Jeremy Clarke-Watson
Earlier in the year, Dilworth students and staff got a rare first-hand glimpse into the world of diplomacy over a lunchtime talk given by Jeremy Clarke-Watson, a distinguished member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
Until recently, Jeremy was New Zealand’s Consul General to Los Angeles. Now back in Wellington, serving as Special Adviser on South and South East, Jeremy, who is a Dilworth Old Boy from the class of 1990, shared remarkable insights from his career, which has spanned many years and different global postings, including Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the USA.
In a later interview, Jeremy told us a bit more about his quite remarkable journey, where he certainly saw some sights during his decades of international diplomacy. He recalls spending a night in a Zimbabwean prison in his early days (downright scary) working on Covid recovery in Los Angeles as the planes emptied and the world went eerily silent, to coordinating with the Taliban to help Kiwis get safely out of Afghanistan - one of the most personally satisfying projects he has ever worked on.
His leadership journey started at Dilworth, where he was a high achiever and clear all-rounder from the start—Deputy Head Prefect, Head Librarian, Captain of Tyrone House, and leader of football, swimming, and cricket teams.
He reflects on his time at Dilworth:
“I’m proud I went to Dilworth. I was privileged to go there. It gave me an opportunity, a sense of family and a sense of place I didn’t necessarily have before.”
Following his seven years at the school, 1984-1990, he headed to the University of Auckland, where he studied a Bachelor of Arts and Law and was awarded a prestigious $25,000 Freyberg National Defence Scholarship for postgraduate study in areas relevant to national security. He opted for a Masters in Strategic Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra, where, he says, he studied alongside some of Australia’s most forward thinkers.
His understanding of New Zealand’s place in the world took shape in his first role out of university, working on defence policy at the Ministry of Defence. After that, his career took off, and he was off to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, where he was part of the political affairs team under Don McKinnon, Secretary General at the time.
In 2005, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) where, in his almost 20 years of service so far, he’s been posted to Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates and undertaken several leadership roles, including Deputy Director of the Middle East and Africa Division.
He says the best piece of advice he ever received came from Gerald Hensley, New Zealand’s Secretary of Defence at the time. It was to ‘treat everyone equally.’
“He also told me to listen actively. He said having an opinion is important, but you don’t always have to be the first to speak. Sit and gauge how others respond and, when you speak, you want your interventions to be meaningful.”
Countless hours in the library at Dilworth and his strong interest in the world - and history, in particular – helped establish the foundations for his international career.
“There are always conflicts in life, challenges and disagreements, tension. Dilworth teaches you how to navigate that. We were a generation determined to change, be human, and treat others with respect. I’ve seen other old boys, like Sir David Beattie, who have gone on to do great things. It makes you understand the legacy and how it shapes you.”
His advice to Dilworth students?
“Keep your links up. Networks are massive. Connections matter. Don’t be afraid to take advice.”
And finally, “It’s cool to be smart.”
Jeremy is currently New Zealand’s Consul-General to Los Angeles.