# Bill English

_Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2016 to 2017_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/bill-english
Last updated: 2026-11-02

> Sir Simon William English is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 39th prime minister of New Zealand from 2016 to 2017 and leader of the National Party from 2001 to 2003 and 2016 to 2018. He had previously served as the 17th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and minister of finance from 2008 to 2016 under John Key and the Fifth National Government.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 30 December 1961 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Lumsden ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P19))
- **Citizenship:** New Zealand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; farmer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P106))
- **Political party:** New Zealand National Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P102))
- **Education:** Victoria University of Wellington; University of Otago ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P69))
- **Official website:** national.org.nz/billenglish ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P856))
- **Positions held:** Prime Minister of New Zealand (12 December 2016 – 26 October 2017); Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand (19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016); Minister of Finance (19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016); Minister of Infrastructure (19 November 2008 – 14 December 2011); Leader of the Opposition (8 October 2001 – 28 October 2003); Minister of Finance (1 February 1999 – 22 June 1999); Minister of Health (16 December 1996 – 2 February 1999); Member of the New Zealand Parliament (12 October 1996 – 20 September 2014); Member of the New Zealand Parliament (27 October 1990 – 12 October 1996); Member of the New Zealand Parliament (until 2018) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P39))
- **Awards:** Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit‎; honorary doctor of the University of Otago; honorary doctor of Victoria University of Wellington ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P166))
- **X (Twitter):** RtHonBEnglish ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P2002))
- **Facebook:** RtHonBillEnglish ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P2013))
- **Instagram:** rthonbillenglish ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608#P2003))

## Questions

**When was Bill English born?**  
Bill English was born on 30 December 1961 in Lumsden.

**What positions has Bill English held?**  
Positions held by Bill English include: Prime Minister of New Zealand (2016–2017); Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand (2008–2016); Minister of Finance (2008–2016); Minister of Infrastructure (2008–2011); Leader of the Opposition (2001–2003).

**Where did Bill English study?**  
Bill English was educated at Victoria University of Wellington, University of Otago.

## Related

- [John Hall](https://diginpl.com/people/john-hall)
- [David Lange](https://diginpl.com/people/david-lange)
- [William Hall-Jones](https://diginpl.com/people/william-hall-jones)
- [Mike Moore](https://diginpl.com/people/mike-moore)
- [Richard Seddon](https://diginpl.com/people/richard-seddon)
- [Keith Holyoake](https://diginpl.com/people/keith-holyoake)
- [Robert Muldoon](https://diginpl.com/people/robert-muldoon)
- [Geoffrey Palmer](https://diginpl.com/people/geoffrey-palmer-q1385100)
- [Hugh Watt](https://diginpl.com/people/hugh-watt)
- [Helen Clark](https://diginpl.com/people/helen-clark)
- [Jack Marshall](https://diginpl.com/people/jack-marshall)
- [Edward Stafford](https://diginpl.com/people/edward-stafford)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Bill English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_English) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q4384608](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4384608) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Bill English September 2016.jpg by Flickr user New Zealand Tertiary Education Union. (CC BY-SA 2.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bill_English_September_2016.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Bill English, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Bill English September 2016.jpg — Flickr user New Zealand Tertiary Education Union., CC BY-SA 2.0.

## Cite this page

"Bill English". DigiNepal. Last updated 2 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/bill-english. Retrieved 6 November 2026.