20 September 2016

Scholarship announced to mark Auckland Chamber CEO 25 years milestone

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce has established a research scholarship to mark Michael Barnett’s 25 years of leadership of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

Auckland Chamber of Commerce chairman David Nathan said the Michael Barnett Research Scholarship would focus on infrastructure, innovation, communication and leadership – themes that have been at the centre of Michael’s work as chief executive.

“It will suitably acknowledge Michael’s integrity, ability and enthusiasm to keep reinventing the Chamber to focus on what’s relevant to business,” he said.

Michael joined the Chamber as International Director in 1983 and has been chief executive since 1991. While best known as the head of the Chamber, Michael Barnett has contributed to international trade agreement negotiations and has had a hand in governmental policy development for business. He is chair of Diversity Works New Zealand, chair of the Auckland Business Forum, and chair of the Local Government Forum. Previous roles have included membership of the Local Government Efficiency Taskforce and the Prime Minister’s enterprise group. He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2011.

A particular interest of Michael has been establishing the Chamber’s recruitment arm through scheme’s such as “CadetMax”, a programme for youth job seekers from South Auckland and other schemes through which the Chamber places around 900 people into work each year, mainly small and medium businesses.

At a function celebrating Mr Barnett’s 25 years as Chamber CEO, Mr Nathan also confirmed that the Chamber would be taking up residence at the end of the year in new premises it had acquired at 90 Symonds Street.

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