Sir Peter Gluckman is the first Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, having been appointed in 2009. He is also Special Science Envoy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is Chair of the International Network for Governmental Science Advice; a network bring science advisors, academies, policy makers and academics together to consider how the science–policy nexus can be enhanced at all levels of government from local to trans-national. He directs the secretariat of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative that brings such countries together to discuss areas of science, economic and foreign policy where country size is important. He co-chairs the APEC group of chief science advisors and equivalents He is a member of the advisory group to the STI directorate of the OECD. In 2014 he was appointed by the Director General of WHO as co-chair of the Commission to End Childhood Obesity.

His academic background is in pediatric and developmental biology, evolutionary biology, epigenetics and developmental pathways to disease. He has published over 700 scientific papers and reviews, books for both technical and lay audiences and has received the highest scientific (Rutherford medal) and civilian (member of the Order of New Zealand) honours in New Zealand and numerous international scientific awards.

He holds a Distinguished University Professorship in Pediatric and Perinatal Biology at the Liggins Institute of the University of Auckland and honorary appointments in Singapore, Santiago, Southampton and University College, London. He is chief science advisor to the Singapore Institute of Clinical science.