Career diplomat Julie MacKenzie will be New Zealand's next ambassador to Italy.
Ms MacKenzie will replace Peter Bennett in Rome in August.
She has already made contacts as a result of the America's Cup - when she met Italy's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister - and the visits to New Zealand by the Italian Tall Ship Amerigo Vespucci and Italian naval chief Admiral Marcello De Donno.
Ms McKenzie's French/Italian husband and two daughters, 11 and 13, will also live in Italy during her four-year posting.
Ms MacKenzie joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1978 and is director of its Europe division.
Her previous postings were to Tokyo, Brussels and Noumea, where she was consul general.
From 2000 to 2002, she was special adviser on East Timor for Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff.
Ms MacKenzie will undergo an intensive language course in Italy.
"I attach enormous importance to being able to speak the language of the country you're living and working in because I just know from experience that that's the way you get to understand the culture and the people and therefore you can just do your job so much better if you speak their language," she said.
Mr Goff yesterday described the relationship between New Zealand and Italy as a warm and friendly one.
"The friendship has its roots in the participation of New Zealand forces in the liberation of Italy in the Second World War.
"More recently, the America's Cup has helped forge a new sense of mutual respect as well as highlighting opportunities to further strengthen links between the two countries."
Italy was New Zealand's 10th largest trading partner, with two-way trade last year worth $1.3 billion.
It was one of the world's top five economies, and was a founding member of the European Union.
"Italy excels in creativity and design, and its economy is complementary to that of New Zealand," Mr Goff said.
The countries also co-operated on international issues such as trade liberalisation, climate change, the Antarctic and the elimination of nuclear weapons.
- NZPA
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