Malietoa Tanumafili II was O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa, serving from its independence in 1962 until his death in 2007. He was bestowed with the Malietoa title in 1940 and had previously worked for the New Zealand administration as a civil servant and parliamentarian. As head of state, he initially served jointly with Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole, who died in April 1963.