Hon David Seymour is a New Zealand politician currently serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the ACT Party, representing the Epsom electorate in Parliament [30][31][38].
Seymour was educated at Auckland Grammar [17] and later attended the University of Auckland [18]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he worked as an electrical engineer in New Zealand [4] and spent time from 2006 in the engineering industry [6]. During the 2000s, he is reported to have worked as a policy analyst for research groups and conservative think tanks in Canada [9][10].
On his return to New Zealand, Seymour is reported to have served as a ministerial adviser to John Banks, who was Associate Minister of Education, from 2011 [2][8], and to have worked on Partnership (Charter) School legislation in a parliamentary capacity [1]. He was also reported to have led ACT on Campus, the student organisation associated with the ACT Party, at the University of Auckland [14][15].
Seymour has been affiliated with ACT New Zealand [38] and is reported to have become the party's seventh leader on 3 October 2014 [21]. Sources place his entry to Parliament as the Member for Epsom from around 2014, with some sources citing 20 September 2014 as the specific date [35]. He also held the role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Education and Minister of Regulatory Reform from 2014, according to one source [37].
Following the 2023 general election, Seymour was appointed to several ministerial roles. Sources differ on the precise start dates, but he has held the office of Minister for Regulation [36], with some sources citing 27 November 2023 as the commencement date [19]. He has also served as Associate Minister of Finance [25], Associate Minister of Health (Pharmac) [27], and Associate Minister of Education (Partnership Schools) [24]. He is additionally reported to hold the role of Associate Minister of Justice (Treaty Principles Bill) from 2025 [29].
Seymour was confirmed as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand from 31 May 2025 [31], and is reported to be the 21st person to hold that office [20]. He is also reported to have served as Acting Prime Minister of New Zealand from 14 July 2024 [22]. He was noted as a member of the Epidemic Response Committee from 2020, according to a single reputable secondary source [16].