NEWS RELEASE

John Green to head Rotorua’s new economic development CCO

ROTORUA 23.05.12: Rotorua District Council has appointed local businessman John Green chairman of the board of its new economic development CCO (council controlled organisation).

Mr Green, who lives in Okere Falls, is a professional company director and chair of the Rotorua-based Lakes Water Quality Society. He is a chartered accountant with a Victoria University degree in commerce and administration.

Mr Green currently serves on the board of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council-owned Quayside Holdings Group which owns the Port of Tauranga with a share and property portfolio worth $100 million.

He is also a director of Rural Equities Ltd and previously chaired the boards of Canterbury of New Zealand, ANZDL Shipping Lines, Vox Retail group (Australia), Alliance Textile group, Repco Group, Union Shipping Group and Hellaby Holdings.

Over a twenty one year career with international accountancy firm Price Waterhouse Mr Green held senior positions in Johannesburg, London, San Francisco, Sydney and Wellington.

He has also held executive roles with R & W Hellaby Ltd, National Provident Fund, Perpetual Management Company Ltd and Brierley Investments where he was on the board of more than 200 companies.

Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters said that he was impressed with the breadth of experience and skill sets of candidates putting their names forward for the board and chair positions, and particularly those of Mr Green.

“In the end we received 30 applications for the six directorships including five for the role of independent board chairperson.

“John Green’s credentials for heading our new economic development CCO are simply outstanding. His wide-ranging business skills, international commercial experience, and successful record of chairing corporate boards make him a standout for this role. Rotorua is very fortunate that John is prepared to serve his community in this position.

Mr Green said it was in the interests of Rotorua and the wider community to have sustainable economic growth and he was pleased that the council had the confidence in him to help drive the district’s growth strategy for the future.

“Last year I had the pleasure of chairing the 2011 Rotorua Lakes Symposium and the themes to come out of that very successful forum align closely with those contained in Rotorua's new Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy.

“So I'm very pleased to have been appointed to head a CCO that will play an integral part in driving those very important economic themes.

“I want to see Rotorua build a reputation as a genuine ‘can do’ place with a much more positive attitude around what can be achieved, and I will certainly be promoting those goals wherever I can,” said Mr Green.

“I believe the 'arms length' structure that the council has put in place for the CCO, and the board’s statement of intent, will give our board the freedom to apply a commercially focused approach to making things happen for Rotorua.

“But I’m under no illusions that the CCO on its own isn’t a silver bullet for the city’s current economic challenges. We will need a strong and cooperative partnership with the council, iwi, government and other community organisations, and the support of our local community, if we're to achieve the results that Rotorua deserves.

Mr Green said he was looking forward to working with the CCO selection panel to appoint the remaining six directors to the board and then getting on with the job of implementing Rotorua’s Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy.

Mayor Winters said he was “humbled by the incredible commitment” the 30 CCO board applicants had shown to Rotorua.

“They’ve demonstrated exceptional confidence in the district’s future by putting their hands up to work with the council and our community partners to fulfill Rotorua’s real economic potential.”

He said the selection panel would be conducting interviews of candidates for the board later this week and next week, and an announcement on appointments was expected at the beginning of June.

[ENDS]

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