Helene Quilter

Dame Helene Elizabeth Quilter (née Syben; 1 October 1953 – 23 July 2026) was a New Zealand public servant. In 2019, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to the State, and in 2023 she was appointed Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the public service and the arts.

Early life and education Quilter was born Helene Elizabeth Syben on 1 October 1953, and migrated to New Zealand with her family as a child. She was educated at Baradene College of the Sacred Heart in Auckland, where she was a boarder from 1966 to 1971.

Career Quilter began her public service career at the Department of Social Welfare, eventually rising to senior leadership positions, including deputy chief executive of the renamed Ministry of Social Development. She worked on improving systems for governance and risk assessments, and led the implementation of the Defence White Paper 2010.

Quilter served as the secretary of defence and chief executive of the Ministry of Defence from 2012 to 2019. Whilst in office, she led a reform of the defence capability management system. Although she retained 30 works from the collection, Quilter later auctioned 47 others in order to fund an interest in 17th- and 18th-century religious art, and New Zealand artist Louise Greig.

Honours and awards

In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Quilter was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, for services to the State.