NZ opposition party picks Chris Luxon as leader

New Zealand's conservative opposition party chose former businessman and political novice Christopher Luxon as its new leader on Tuesday.

Before entering politics, Luxon spent more than six years as chief executive of national carrier Air New Zealand. Prior to that, he spent 18 years working at Unilever, where he became chief executive of the company's Canadian business. Luxon, 51, is the fifth person to lead the National Party. many in the National Party hope he will bring a similar relaxed and confident style as he tries to gain ground on popular Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The party chose 40-year-old Nicola Willis as Luxon's deputy. Before becoming a lawmaker in 2018, Willis was a senior manager at New Zealand's largest company, the dairy cooperative Fonterra.