Denis B. Gordon McLean

Background

The eldest son of Gordon McLean, a newspaper editor, and Ruahine Smith, McLean was born in Napier. His family later lived in Auckland and Wellington.

Education

Master of Science, Victoria University, 1953. Master of Arts, Oxford University, 1957. Postgraduate, Royal College Defense Studies, 1971.

Career

After graduating from Oxford, McLean joined the New Zealand Department of External Affairs in 1957. He was posted to Washington District of Columbia (1960-1963), Paris (1963-1966), Kuala Lumpur (1966-1968) and London (1972-1977), where he studied at the Royal College of Defence Studies and was Deputy High Commissioner. He was Secretary of Defence from 1979 to 1988 and Ambassador to the United States from 1991 to 1994.

After his retirement from government service in 1995, he served as the Joan and James Warburg Chair of International Relations at Simmons College in Boston.

His distinguished career as a public servant, writer, historian and commentator on international relations also led him to be a Visiting Fellow at the Strategic & Defense Studies Centre, the Australian National University in Canberra, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the United States. Institute of Peace. He also served for several years on the New Zealand Press Council.

He wrote three books: The Long Pathway, Te Araroa (1986), about walking the East Coast of the North Island with his family. The Prickly Pair (2003), on Australian-New Zealand relations.

And Howard Kippenberger: Dauntless Spirit (2008), a biography of military commander Sir Howard Kippenberger.

The common theme underlying the apparent diversity of McLean"s writing was a fascination with New Zealand"s evolving national identity. McLean died on 30 March 2011 at his home in Wellington.

Achievements

• Denis B. Gordon McLean has been listed as a noteworthy Diplomat by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member International Institute for Strategic Studies, Wellington Club.

Interests

• Avocations: long distance walking, writing, reading, art and architecture appreciation.

Connections

Married Anne Davidson. Children: Margot, James, Gavin.

Father:

John Gordon McLean

Mother:

Ruanine Maitland (Smith) McLean

Spouse:

Anne Davidson

child:

James McLean

child:

Gavin McLean

child:

Margot McLean