Wood retired from the Foreign Service in 2006 to Christchurch, where he became an adjunct professor of Political Science. Wood also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Canterbury in 2004. In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Wood was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services. In 2009, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson appointed him the Crown's lead negotiator in talks with Whanganui iwi. In August 2017, Wood was appointed chairman of the Canterbury District Health Board by Health Minister Jonathan Coleman, replacing Murray Cleverley (resigned) and succeeding the acting chair Mark Solomon.