on behalf of Groser. Known targets included candidates from Brazil, Costa Rica, Ghana, Jordan, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, and South Korea. Despite no official announcement having been made, New Zealand media reported earlier in 2015 that Groser was "widely expected" to replace Mike Moore as ambassador to the United States. This was confirmed by prime minister John Key on 7 December 2015, with Groser relinquishing his roles on 14 December. Groser will take up his post as ambassador in early 2016. In July 2015, Groser said he believed reasonable people were being "whipped up into a frenzy" over issues like pharmaceutical costs and investor-state dispute settlement by people who, for ideological reasons, oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. He resigned from Parliament on 19 December 2015 to take up the role of New Zealand's ambassador to the United States of America. Personal life Groser converted to Islam to marry Milda Emza, an Indonesian Muslim and his second wife, in 1996, during his tenure as ambassador to Indonesia. They are no longer married. References Portions of this article are based on public domain text from The National Party. External links Profile at National party 1950 births Living people New Zealand National Party MPs New Zealand public servants Scottish emigrants to New Zealand People from Perth, Scotland Victoria University of Wellington alumni Permanent Representatives of New Zealand to the World Trade Organization New Zealand list MPs Ambassadors of New Zealand to Indonesia Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives 21st-century New Zealand politicians Ambassadors of New Zealand to the United States