United States President Barack Obama has nominated a former Major League baseball player to be the next American ambassador to New Zealand.
Mark Gilbert was a professional baseball player for several years and played for the Chicago White Sox in the 1980s.
At present, he is a director at Barclays Wealth - formerly Lehman Brothers - and was the Democratic National Committee's deputy national finance chair from 2009 to 2013.
Once Mr Gilbert's nomination is approved he will replace current ambassador David Huebner.
