Key, Sir John Phillip, 1961–, New Zealand investment banker and political leader, b. Auckland, studied Univ. of Canterbury (B.Comm., 1982) and Harvard. Trained as an accountant, Key worked for a large American investment bank. Posted in Singapore, London, and Sydney, he became an extremely successful currency and bond trader. A member of the center-right National party, he returned home (2001) to begin a political career and was first elected to parliament in 2002. In 2004 he was named his party's financial spokesman and in 2006 party leader. A centrist and free-trade advocate who did much to reinvigorate his party and improve relations with the United States, he became prime minister when the National party won a plurality in the 2008 elections; he again led the party to wins in 2011 and in 2014. He stepped down as prime minister and party leader in 2016. Key was knighted in 2017.
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