Simon Watts is a National Party Member of Parliament representing the North Shore electorate [25][17].
Sources differ on when he first entered Parliament — some place his election to the North Shore seat from 2020 [19], while others list 2023 as the relevant start date [19]. He is affiliated with the National Party, though sources disagree on the precise period of that affiliation, with variants noting 2020 and 2023 as reference points [25].
Watts holds qualifications and experience in accounting and finance. He is a confirmed Chartered Accountant [1] and has worked as an accountant [4]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he worked as a Corporate Tax accountant at Deloitte [2] and later served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Waitematā DHB [3]. The same source indicates he held banking and finance roles in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom [5], including a position at the Royal Bank of Scotland in London [6]. He has also been described, according to single reputable secondary sources, as an investment banker in Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom [8] and as an international banking and finance professional [7].
Watts attended Auckland University of Technology, though sources disagree on the relevant period, with one variant noting a date from 2013 [14]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he also attended the University of Waikato [15][16].
In addition to his finance career, Watts is a confirmed registered paramedic [10][9]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he volunteered as an ambulance officer with St John [13][11]. He has also reportedly served as a Trustee on the Diabetes New Zealand Trustee Board, according to a single reputable secondary source [12].
In his ministerial roles, Watts serves as Minister of Climate Change [22], Minister of Revenue [24], Minister of Local Government [23], and Minister for Energy [21]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he has also held the role of Minister for Auckland [20].