Bob Dadae

Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae (born 8 March 1961) is a Papua New Guinean politician currently serving as the tenth governor-general of Papua New Guinea since 2017.

Education and early career

Dadae was educated at the Ombo Lutheran Agency in Derim and the Bugandi High School, before completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Papua New Guinea (1988) and Master of Business Administration degree from Griffith University (1995). Prior to his election to parliament, he was an accountant for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea and a board member of the Christian Press publishing house.

Political career

Dadae was elected to the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea at the 2002 election as the United Party member for Kabwum Open, becoming the party's deputy leader after the election. He became Deputy Speaker in 2004. He was then re-elected at the 2007 election, and served as Minister for Defence under Michael Somare from 2007 to 2011. He crossed to the People's National Congress after Somare's 2011 ouster, and was re-elected under that banner at the 2012 election.

He was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George on 5 May 2017. He was appointed to the Order of St John on 18 August 2017.

Dadae was nominated to run for a second term as Governor-General in December 2022 alongside Winnie Kiap and Stephen Pokawin. Dadae won the election and retained his viceregal position and was sworn in on 16 March 2023.

Personal life

Dadae married Hannah Dadae on 14 January 1989, and they had five children. Lady Hannah Dadae died from a short illness on 4 December 2018 in Brisbane, Australia.

Bob Dadae married Emeline Tufi Folau, a Tongan woman, on 11 January 2020.