Grant Robertson became Vice Chancellor of the University of Otago on 1 July 2024 after 15 years in Parliament, including roles as Minister of Finance (2017–2023) and Deputy Prime Minister (2020–2023). He held a wider variety of other Ministerial portfolios in Infrastructure, Sport and Arts.

Born in Palmerston North, and raised in Dunedin, he gained a BA (Hons) in Political Studies at the University of Otago, where he was also President of the Student Association. A former diplomat, he represented New Zealand at the UN and also worked as an Advisor to PM Helen Clark.