Holden was appointed Deputy Commissioner in March 2015 after being the Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage since June 2009. Prior to joining the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Holden was Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development. Before that, Holden worked for the New Zealand Treasury, and worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as an economic advisor for Jim Bolger. Holden also spent a term as Alternative Executive Director at the World Bank in Washington DC.