RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson to leave organisation after 13 years

10:00 am today

RNZ Chief Executive and Editor-in-Chief Paul Thompson.

RNZ head Paul Thompson will leave the organisation at the end of the year after 13 years in the role.

Board Chair Dr Jim Mather confirmed on Friday morning that Thompson - who is both Chief Executive and Editor-in-Chief of the public broadcaster - had informed the Board last December that he would leave at the end of 2026.

The Board had planned to make the news public in the second half of this year but shared the news with RNZ staff today, "as there has been recent unhelpful external commentary about his future".